This collection documents the Atlanta Student Movement during the Civil Rights Era. It highlights student activism in the Atlanta University Consortium (AUC); Clark College, Morris Brown, Morehouse College, Atlanta University, and Spelman College. The collection includes newspaper and journal articles, flyers, reports, photographs, and correspondence by and about students from the AUC schools. Of note are copies of An Appeal for Human Rights written by student leaders, which set forth the student's grievances, rights, and aspirations as well as their dissatisfaction with the status quo conditions of segregation and discrimination and the slow pace at which inherent human and civil rights were being meted out to African Americans. The Appeal was published as a full-page ad in the March 9, 1960 editions of the Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta Journal, and Atlanta Daily World. It was subsequently published in the New York Times, providing national awareness of student activism in the civil rights struggle in Atlanta. The issuance of the Appeal was followed by sit-ins and pickets at specifically targeted businesses, government and transportation facilities in Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia, and kneel-ins at churches. The participants in the Atlanta student movement organized commemorative reunions, 1990 and 2000 to re-examine the civil rights movement and discuss current efforts and projections for the future. Programs, minutes, correspondence, and news articles from the reunions are included in the collection. At the AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library, we are always striving to improve our digital collections. We welcome additional information about people, places, or events depicted in any of the works in this collection. To submit information, please contact us at DSD@auctr.edu.
Aug 24, 2023

Atlanta Student Movement Collection

This collection documents the Atlanta Student Movement during the Civil Rights Era. It highlights student activism in the Atlanta University Consortium (AUC); Clark College, Morris Brown, Morehouse College, Atlanta University, and Spelman College. The collection includes newspaper and journal articles, flyers, reports, photographs, and correspondence by and about students from the AUC schools. Of note are copies of An Appeal for Human Rights written by student leaders, which set forth the student's grievances, rights, and aspirations as well as their dissatisfaction with the status quo conditions of segregation and discrimination and the slow pace at which inherent human and civil rights were being meted out to African Americans. The Appeal was published as a full-page ad in the March 9, 1960 editions of the Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta Journal, and Atlanta Daily World. It was subsequently published in the New York Times, providing national awareness of student activism in the civil rights struggle in Atlanta. The issuance of the Appeal was followed by sit-ins and pickets at specifically targeted businesses, government and transportation facilities in Atlanta and Fulton County, Georgia, and kneel-ins at churches. The participants in the Atlanta student movement organized commemorative reunions, 1990 and 2000 to re-examine the civil rights movement and discuss current efforts and projections for the future. Programs, minutes, correspondence, and news articles from the reunions are included in the collection.

At the AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library, we are always striving to improve our digital collections. We welcome additional information about people, places, or events depicted in any of the works in this collection. To submit information, please contact us at DSD@auctr.edu.
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  • Subjects = African American leadership
In this letter, Julian Bond addresses Johnny Parham as Chair of the Documentation project. He mentions a missed opportunity to document the Atlanta Student Movement during a reunion. He suggests convening an AUC-wide committee of historians led by Vincent Fort to solicit funds and begin the documentation process. Bond emphasizes the importance of interviewing movement participants and collecting memorabilia and photographs to deposit in the AUC Library. He further states that trained, "objective" historians should be involved in the project. The letter is also addressed to Fort, urging him to consider the same suggestion. The letter concludes with holiday greetings. 2 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
Correspondence to Johnny Parham from Julian Bond, December 14, 1990
Date Created
1990-12-14
Author
Bond, Julian, 1940-2015
Description
In this letter, Julian Bond addresses Johnny Parham as Chair of the Documentation project. He mentions a missed opportunity to document the Atlanta Student Movement during a reunion. He suggests convening an AUC-wide committee of historians led by Vincent Fort to solicit funds and begin the documentation process. Bond emphasizes the importance of interviewing movement participants and collecting memorabilia and photographs to deposit in the AUC Library. He further states that trained, "objective" historians should be involved in the project. The letter is also addressed to Fort, urging him to consider the same suggestion. The letter concludes with holiday greetings. 2 pages.
Subject
African American student movements, African American universities and colleges, African Americans--Civil rights, African American leadership
Collection
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
In this letter dated January 5th, 1990, Julian Bond writes to Johnny Parham, sharing various topics. He mentions receiving Johnny's call during the holidays and his unsuccessful attempts to get a response from Vincent Fort. He discusses the King Papers Project and proposes the Atlanta Project, which could involve academic research on the Atlanta Student Movement, depositing collected documents and interviews in an archive at the Woodruff Library. Julian speculates about potential financial support for the project and its impact on encouraging students, especially history and political science majors, to explore the relevance of this history. He advises Johnny, likely the chair, to maintain pressure for a more scholarly tone in their efforts. Julian also shares his experience attending a similar 30th-year reunion in Nashville, where memories were recorded and artifacts collected, suggesting that such an approach could benefit CAU and other Black colleges in distinguishing themselves from their white competitors. 2 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
Correspondence to Johnny Parham from Julian Bond, January 5, 1990
Date Created
1990-12-05
Author
Bond, Julian, 1940-2015
Description
In this letter dated January 5th, 1990, Julian Bond writes to Johnny Parham, sharing various topics. He mentions receiving Johnny's call during the holidays and his unsuccessful attempts to get a response from Vincent Fort. He discusses the King Papers Project and proposes the Atlanta Project, which could involve academic research on the Atlanta Student Movement, depositing collected documents and interviews in an archive at the Woodruff Library. Julian speculates about potential financial support for the project and its impact on encouraging students, especially history and political science majors, to explore the relevance of this history. He advises Johnny, likely the chair, to maintain pressure for a more scholarly tone in their efforts. Julian also shares his experience attending a similar 30th-year reunion in Nashville, where memories were recorded and artifacts collected, suggesting that such an approach could benefit CAU and other Black colleges in distinguishing themselves from their white competitors. 2 pages.
Subject
African American student movements, African American universities and colleges, African Americans--Civil rights, African American leadership
Collection
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
The document is the constitution and articles of incorporation of the Committee on the Appeal for Human Rights, Incorporated. It outlines the purpose, membership, officers, executive committee, meetings, and the process for amending the organization's by-laws. The committee's purpose is to promote human and civil rights globally. Membership is open to individuals who actively participated in the civil rights movement in Atlanta, GA, between 1960 and 1965 and others who have shown an interest in promoting human and civil rights. The organization's officers include a chairperson, president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. An executive committee, comprising all officers and at least three other members in good standing, can conduct business between meetings. The constitution provides meeting guidelines and how amendments to the by-laws can be made. 2 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
Constitution of COAHR Inc., circa 1990
Date Created
1988/1992
Creator
Committee On the Appeal For Human Rights
Description
The document is the constitution and articles of incorporation of the Committee on the Appeal for Human Rights, Incorporated. It outlines the purpose, membership, officers, executive committee, meetings, and the process for amending the organization's by-laws. The committee's purpose is to promote human and civil rights globally. Membership is open to individuals who actively participated in the civil rights movement in Atlanta, GA, between 1960 and 1965 and others who have shown an interest in promoting human and civil rights. The organization's officers include a chairperson, president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. An executive committee, comprising all officers and at least three other members in good standing, can conduct business between meetings. The constitution provides meeting guidelines and how amendments to the by-laws can be made. 2 pages.
Subject
African American student movements, African American universities and colleges, African Americans--Civil rights, African American leadership
Collection
Atlanta Student Movement Collection