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.

The Atlanta University Center hosts commemorative events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Atlanta student movement, including a news conference and groundbreaking ceremony for a marker recalling the student group's "Appeal for Human Rights" against segregation. Workshops on race relations are conducted, followed by an ecumenical service at Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel. Concurrently, the Morehouse School of Medicine celebrates its 25th anniversary by opening a new wing and groundbreaking for a National Center for Primary Care, focusing on research, analysis, and training for effective primary health care. The weekend activities also include a concert, convocation, and awards banquet. 1 page.
This document summarizes the Planning Committee meeting held on September 19, 1990, to organize the 30th-anniversary celebration of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Civil Rights Movement. The meeting's attendees included various committee members responsible for different aspects of the event. The Corporate Sponsorship Committee reported securing funding from several organizations and proposing grants to others. The Awards Banquet Committee updated on interviews with CNN for the documentary and prepared the invitations. The Research Committee collaborated with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for a photo exhibit at the AUC Woodruff Library. The Hospitality and Memorial Service Committee made progress in arranging transportation, logistics, and program details. The Public Relations/Publicity Committee drafted press releases, and the Workshop Committee prepared the workshop program. The Printing/Awards/Memorabilia Committee discussed design options and timing for materials. The next meeting was scheduled for October 10. 3 pages.
This document provides minutes from the Planning Committee meeting held on September 6, 1990, to organize the 30th-anniversary celebration of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Civil Rights Movement. The meeting's attendees included prominent members such as Delores Aldridge, Brenda Cole, Julia Bond, and Mary Ware. The committee reports on various aspects of the event, including the Memorial Service, Workshops, Corporate Sponsorship, Awards Banquet, and Public Relations. The Symposium's outline is presented, featuring a series of activities, workshops, and a closing session to honor and reflect on the historical significance of the AUC Civil Rights Movement. The document also includes plans for inviting participants and suggestions for publicity and musical involvement. The next meeting is scheduled for September 19, 1990. 5 pages.
This brochure is from the 30th Anniversary Salute to the Atlanta University Civil Right Movement held at the AUC Robert Woodruff Library. The brochure provides a summary of the history of the movement in Atlanta. The brochure described in 1990, Atlanta was on the verge of fulfilling its potential as an international city, solidifying its position as the economic, political, and social capital of the New South. The city's successful bid for the 1996 Olympics is the culmination of efforts made in the past thirty years. These efforts can be directly traced back to March 15, 1960, when Atlanta University Center students began occupying seats at segregated lunch counters in various locations, leading the way for positive changes in the city. The students' innovative protests, such as conducting bus trips to test segregated facilities before the "freedom rides", had a national impact and may have influenced John F. Kennedy's election victory. The Atlanta student movement of the early 1960s played a crucial role in the desegregation of lunch counters and formed an invaluable link between the past and the future. Without their groundbreaking actions, subsequent victories in places like Birmingham and Selma would not have been possible. 2 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
This program booklet commemorates the 30th Anniversary Salute to the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Civil Rights Movement, celebrating the city of Atlanta's progress as an international city and its position as the economic, political, and social capital of the New South. The booklet includes an introduction outlining the historical significance of the AUC student movement in the 1960s, which played a pivotal role in the desegregation of lunch counters and paved the way for subsequent civil rights victories. It also features the event program, listing the schedule of activities, performances, and the presentation of awards to community leaders, professors, and students who were key figures in the civil rights movement. 5 pages.
This memo serves as a reminder for the upcoming meeting of the Planning Committee for the 30th Anniversary Salute to the former AUC Student Organizers of the Committee on the Appeal for Human Rights. Brenda H. Cole, Co-Chair of the Planning Committee, expresses gratitude for their participation and outlines the meeting details. Committee Chairs are requested to prepare brief oral reports and submit written statements. The office contact information for Clark Atlanta University is also provided. 1 page.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
These minutes document the planning committee meeting for the 30th Anniversary Salute to the AUC Civil Rights Movement, held at Holly Hill on February 21, 1990, at 6:00 p.m. Mrs. Brenda Cole presided over the meeting and provided background information on the civil rights movement activities at the AUC. The committee's main objective is identifying and saluting the movement's student leaders. The event is planned for two days, with workshops, an awards dinner, and a memorial service. Various committees were formed to organize the event, each having co-chairs representing the planning committee and students from the AUC institutions. Committee members and their respective roles are listed in the minutes. The next meeting is scheduled for March 21. Gwen Callaway submitted the minutes. 3 pages.
This progress report, dated September 19, 1990, provides an update on the Subcommittee on Printing/Awards/Memorabilia's activities for the 30th Anniversary Salute to the AUC Civil Rights Movement. The report confirms the acceptance of the official logo, designed by Georgette Baker, for the event. Georgia Power is handling the printing of the invitation package, including the outer envelope, response card, and response envelope, as well as the award banquet program and the community leader's frameable award. The report also discusses the need to submit copies and ideas for other printed materials, like recognition certificates, posters, banners, invitations, and programs, by October 1. Charnell Holloway was approached to create a metal sculpture design for the honoree's awards, while Kathy Haper submitted several concepts for review. The budget for producing awards, memorabilia, and printing must still be solved. 2 pages.
This progress report provides an overview of the activities and decisions made by the Printing/Awards/Memorabilia Subcommittee during the 30th Anniversary Salute to the AUC Civil Rights Movement event planning. The subcommittee members include Toni D. O'Neal (Co-Chair), a Student Co-Chair (vacant), Tina Dunkley (Art Gallery Curator, CAU), Lev Mills (Chair, Fine Arts, Spelman), and Art Robinson (Project Officer, CDC). The report outlines the consideration of logo designs and the incorporation of the Human Rights Appeal into framed awards for community honorees. The subcommittee also explores using glass sculptures for the awards, seeking input from a local glass blower, Kathy Harper. Additionally, the report mentions the need to submit rough drafts for printed materials, such as recognition certificates, posters, banners, invitations, and programs. The report highlights the unresolved matter of awaiting a budget for designing and producing awards, memorabilia, and printed materials.  1 page.
Invitation and schedule include a groundbreaking ceremony for a commemorative marker and special recognition for participants of the 1960s movement, workshops, and strategy sessions conducted by national facilitators and speakers, and an ecumenical service at Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Morehouse College. The public is invited to join and celebrate the contributions of institutional, religious, student, and community activists involved in the student movement. 1 page.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
This document outlines the details of the 40th anniversary commemoration held from March 31 to May 12, 2000, at the Atlanta University Center's Robert W. Woodruff Library in the Virginia Lacy Jones Exhibition Hall. The event featured various activities, including a press conference, dedication of a historical marker at CAU Trevor Arnett Quadrangle on March 31 at 3:00 pm, a workshop at Virginia Lacy Jones Exhibition Hall on April 1 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and an ecumenical service at King Chapel, Morehouse College on April 2 at 10:30 am. The commemoration honored the significant role of students from Atlanta University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Clark, Morehouse, Morris Brown, and Spelman Colleges in the civil rights movement. Their actions, including sit-ins, kneel-ins, picket lines, and "freedom rides", contributed to the acceleration of racial desegregation and brought about essential changes in Atlanta, the South, and the nation. The event aimed to inspire the present generation of students and community leaders to reflect on current issues and take action for positive change, echoing the spirit of the historical Appeal for Human Rights. 2 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
The event commemorates the 40th anniversary of "An Appeal for Human Rights" and the Atlanta Student Movement of 1960-2000, acknowledging their historical significance in the civil rights movement in America. The program spans three days with various activities, including an opening ceremony, workshops, a special recognition reception, and a closing plenary session. The workshops cover affirmative action, diversity, discrimination, police brutality, the criminal justice system, empowerment of African American communities, family health, and the environment. 3 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
The planning committee, consisting of former students and community activists, organizes a proposed program for the  40th anniversary commemoration. The program includes a press conference, plenary sessions, workshops, a march, and discussions on various themes, such as economic security, education, health care, and more. The agenda also lists committee members' names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails for communication and coordination purposes. 5 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
This document contains minutes from the February 10, 2000, planning committee meeting for the 40th-anniversary commemoration of the Civil Rights Movement. The meeting was chaired by Lonnie C. King and attended by various committee members, including students. The discussion focused on updating the 1960 Appeal for Human Rights and addressing current issues related to race and racism. The committee also discussed the style and content of the document, including recommendations and remedies for present-day challenges. Additionally, plans were made for workshops, marker installation, fundraising, and outreach to local political leaders. The next meeting was scheduled for March 6, 2000, at Morehouse College. 4 pages.
This personal account details the March 15, 1960 sit-in at Sprayberry Cafeteria in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of a well-planned student movement against segregation. The movement involved coordination with various community representatives, including the police chief, to ensure a peaceful and strategic protest. The author recounts entering the cafeteria to desegregate it, with some students lining up for service and others at the deli counter. A conversation with a friend of the cafeteria owners ensued, and despite being asked to leave, the students remained. The cafeteria employees removed food from the hot tables, but the students managed to place food on their trays. When attempting to pay, the cashier refused, claiming they were giving away food for the day. Reporters arrived, seeking statements, which the students declined to provide. After an hour-long standoff, police officers arrived, and negotiations led to a decision not to arrest the students. The narrative highlights the students' commitment to being served in a federal building despite the challenges they faced. The aftermath of the protest included political repercussions, including a governor's heart attack and legal action taken against the students based on an obscure statute. Despite these challenges, the students' persistence contributed to advancing civil rights in Atlanta. 3 pages
This document outlines the involvement of the United States National Student Association (USNSA) in the sit-in movement during the Civil Rights era. Established in 1947, USNSA represents over 375 colleges and universities across the United States through democratically elected student governing bodies, making it the largest National Union of Students globally. 68 pages.
This document pertains to the National Student Conference on the Sit-In Movement, providing a comprehensive event overview. The document encompasses crucial elements such as the conference agenda for April 22nd, conference rules, the layout of the main floor at All Souls Unitarian Church, general information, rule amendments, resolutions derived from the conference discussions, and transcripts of impactful speeches. Noteworthy speeches featured in the document include "Law and Order Must Be Maintained", delivered by Mahendra Widjesinghe, an address by James Alrut, President of the Methodist Student Movement, a compelling speech by Mr. Allard Lowenstein, President of USNSA, on April 22nd, 1960, a poignant contribution by Bernard Lee, Former Student Body President of Alabama State, an inspiring talk by Al Rozier from North Carolina A&T, a thought-provoking perspective from Sam Bowles of Yale University, an address by Curtis Gans, Vice President of National Affairs at USNSA, and a significant speech by Rev. Wyatt Walker. 24 pages.
A collection of newspaper clipping about Civil Rights Protest: Negroes 'Sit In'  Here At 10 Eating Places, 1960; Rev. King Is Arrested Here in Montgomery Periury; Pastor Brinson with Dr. MLK and Rev A.D King, 1960;  Hope and Archer Memorialized, February 1960; Albert Brinson Intern At Ebenezer, March 15, 1960; Negroes Demonstrate The Atlanta Journal, 1960. 6 pages.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
A placard for the All Tech Assembly on student sit-in strikes with speakers John mack and John Parham. 1 Page.
Atlanta Student Movement Collection
This event program outlines the details of the Annual Meeting Dinner of the Allegheny County Council on Civil Rights. The event took place on Monday, May 16, 1960, at 6:30 P.M. in Rockwell Hall at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 3 pages.