The Voter Education Project (VEP) began in 1962 as part of the Southern Regional Council. Initially VEP granted funds to civil rights organizations to support voter education, voter registration drives, and voting-related research. In 1964, Vernon Jordan, the second executive director of the VEP, expanded the programs goals to include citizenship training, voter education, and leadership training in the southern United States, while continuing to provide funds to independent voter and civil rights groups, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the League of Women Voters. The VEP’s work with the League of Women Voters is highlighted in the materials below.   In 1971, VEP under the leadership of John Lewis, became an independent organization and functioned as a research center and became known as an authoritative source for statistics on southern elections and voter registration in general. Lewis also forged the VEP into an activist organization, launching Voter Mobilization Tours with Georgia state legislator and civil rights advocate Julian Bond. 

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.
Sep 4, 2020

Voter Education Project Organizational Records

The Voter Education Project (VEP) began in 1962 as part of the Southern Regional Council. Initially VEP granted funds to civil rights organizations to support voter education, voter registration drives, and voting-related research. In 1964, Vernon Jordan, the second executive director of the VEP, expanded the programs goals to include citizenship training, voter education, and leadership training in the southern United States, while continuing to provide funds to independent voter and civil rights groups, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the League of Women Voters. The VEP’s work with the League of Women Voters is highlighted in the materials below. In 1971, VEP under the leadership of John Lewis, became an independent organization and functioned as a research center and became known as an authoritative source for statistics on southern elections and voter registration in general. Lewis also forged the VEP into an activist organization, launching Voter Mobilization Tours with Georgia state legislator and civil rights advocate Julian Bond.

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.

For:
  • Subjects = Political campaigns
Title Date Created Description Subject Collection
Democratic Presidential Candidate Jimmy Carter with Rev. Martin Luther King Sr., August 31, 1976 1976-08-31 Newspaper photo of Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter with Martin Luther King Sr. prior to addressing members of the Voter Education Project in regards to an automatic voter registration bill. 1 page. African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political campaigns, Presidents Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Carter Gives Plan For Nuclear Curb," May 13, 1976 NO RADAR INCOMPLETE 1976-05-13 Newspaper article regarding Jimmy Carter's, a Democratic candidate for President, calls for a voluntary moratorium on the purchase or sale of nuclear fuel enrichment and reprocessing plants. He believed that this would help to curb the spread of nuclear weapons. Carter took a number of other positions on the issues, including employment, inflation, monetary policy, tax reform, industry regulation, and energy. He generally tried to take positions that appealed to both sides of a controversy. Some people criticized Carter for not taking more bold positions on the issues. However, his supporters argued that he was simply trying to be pragmatic and to appeal to the widest possible range of voters. 2 pages. International relations, Political campaigns, Presidents, Human rights Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Jimmy Carter: Fitting the Mood of the Voters", January 4, 1976 1976-01-04 Newspaper article regarding the public mood in the bicentennial presidential election year as desiring the federal government to be run in a more humane fashion, and that voters preferred someone who had not been in the bureaucracy to be in charge. The article discusses three outsider candidates who stirred more interest than the candidates from Congress: Ronald Reagan, George Wallace, and Jimmy Carter. The article argues that Carter was the most appealing of these three candidates because he was not anti-government like Reagan and Wallace, and he was not just another warmed-over New Dealer like the liberal Democrats. 1 page. Political participation, Voter registration, Political campaigns, Presidents Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Jimmy Carter Democratic National Convention" Booklet, 1976 1976 Booklet of Jimmy Carter's 1976 Presidential campaign materials, including statements of support, a public address from Carter, and articles about the campaign, prepared for the Democratic Convention. In his public address, Carter argued that while much progress had been done already, there was still much work to be done to achieve an end to poverty, discrimination, and corruption, and to create an honest government, compassionate, and responsive to the needs of the people. 20 pages. Political campaigns, Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Jimmy Carter on Africa", May-June 1976 1976 Newspaper article featuring an interview with Jimmy Carter, where he outlined his foreign policy objectives for Africa. He stressed the need for a positive and creative U.S. role on the continent, and called for stronger sanctions against South Africa. He also said that the U.S. should not allow an African state's Middle East policy to become an excuse to terminate a productive relationship. The interview was part of a series that Africa Report was conducting with the presidential candidates on their views on Africa. 2 pages. International relations, Political campaigns, Presidents, Human rights, Africa Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Zell Miller Vows Campaign To Make U.S. Voting Rights Act Nationwide", November 27, 1975 1975-11-27 Newspaper article describing Georgia Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller's calls for all states to be brought under the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Miller said that the act, which was passed to ensure that all Americans, regardless of race, creed, or color, are not discriminated against at the polls, was only applied to seven states, including Georgia and Texas. 1 page. Political campaigns, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Civil rights movements Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Jackson Assails Talmadge Stand", July 16, 1975 1975-07-16 Newspaper article describing Mayor Maynard Jackson of Atlanta criticism of U.S. Sen. Herman Talmadge for opposing the extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Jackson stated that the act was still needed to protect the right to vote for black people in Georgia. Jackson said that Talmadge was "ignorant" of the facts when he claimed that Black people enjoyed universal voter registration rights. He pointed to the fact that there were continuing violations of the Voting Rights Act in Georgia. 1 page. African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political campaigns, African American mayors Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Campaigners with Signs, circa 1975 1972/1978 A group of women and children hold signs by a street. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African American children, Political campaigns, Political participation Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Campaigners with Signs, circa 1975 1972/1978 A group of women and children hold signs by a street. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African American children, Political campaigns, Political participation Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Campaigners with Signs, circa 1975 1972/1978 A group of women and children hold signs by a street. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African American children, Political campaigns, Political participation Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Gerald Blessey Speaks to People During His Political Campaign, circa 1975 1972/1978 Gerald Blessey talks to an audience of people during his political campaign. African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, African Americans--Politics and government, Civil rights movements, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Gerald Blessey Speaks With a Group of Young Voters, circa 1975 1972/1978 Gerald Blessey talks to a group of young people during his political campaign. African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, African Americans--Politics and government, Civil rights movements, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Shirley Chisholm to Challenge White Males in Four Primaries" Article, October 7, 1971 1971-10-07 "Shirley Chisholm to Challenge White Males in Four Primaries" article published in the Washington Post detailing Re. Shirley Chisholm's candidacy for United States President. 1 page. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Shirley Serious About the White House" Article, September 14, 1971 1971-09-14 "Shirley Serious About the White House" article on The Washington Daily News detailing Ms. Chisholm's bid for the White House. 1 page. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"NOW Chairman Against Nixon" Article, September 1, 1971 1971-09-01 "NOW Chairman Against Nixon" article in the Chicago Sun Times detailing Ms. Chisholm's bid for the White House. 1 page. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newsweek Newsmakers Article, August 23, 1971 1971-08-23 Excerpt from Newsweek magazine section entitled Newsmakers that briefly detailed Ms. Chisholm's bid for Presidency. 1 page. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Carter: Shirley, She's the Woman for President" Article, August 22, 1971 1971-08-22 "Carter: Shirley, She's the Woman for President" article detailing Ms. Chisholm's bid for the White House in The Sunday News. 1 page. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Shirley Chisholm Plans to Make a Determined Bid for the White House" Article, August 5, 1971 1971-08-05 "Shirley Chisholm Plans to Make a Determined Bid for the White House" article in the Buffalo Evening News detailing Ms. Chisholm's bid for the White House. 1 page. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"The Putnam Lectureship in Social Ethics An Address by the Honorable Shirley Chisholm" Program, April 23, 1971 1971-04-23 "The Putnam Lectureship in Social Ethics An Address by the Honorable Shirley Chisholm" program at Hamline University Field House. 3 pages. African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, African Americans--Politics and government, African American women, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"District Chairman Withers Defeated," June 10, 1970 1970-06-10 Newspaper article discussing the defeat of Richland School District One Chairman Caldwell Withers in his campaign for renomination. Caldwell Withers, the long-time chairman of the Richland District One School Board, finished third in the three-man race, behind Dr. Shepard N. Dunn and Hayes Mizell. Withers attributed his defeat to the Black vote, saying that he thought the Black vote went solidly against him. He did not think that the Columbia desegregation plan submitted last week had anything to do with his defeat. 1 page. Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political campaigns Voter Education Project Organizational Records