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.
373 Objects displayed
AllCollectionsObjects
  1. Browse Repository
  2. Archival Collections
  3. Voter Education Project Organizational Records
For:
  • Geographic Location = Georgia--Atlanta
"Discrimination Hearing Set", "DeKalb awaiting justice review of vote legislation", and " A Sumter County non-solution". 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Discrimination Hearing Set", "Dekalb Awaiting Justice Review of Vote Legislation", May 24, 1984
Date Created
1984-05-24
Description
"Discrimination Hearing Set", "DeKalb awaiting justice review of vote legislation", and " A Sumter County non-solution". 3 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Politics and government, Race discrimination, Dispute Resolution
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release from the Voter Education Project regarding a study of the May 8 presidential primary in North Carolina, which found that the Black vote was crucial to Jesse Jackson's strong showing, and it also provided the critical edge Walter Mondale needed to beat Gary Hart in the overall voting. Hart came in first by a very slim margin among white voters, but Mondale received 13.5% of the Black vote, which was fifteen times greater than the 0.9% of the Black vote that went to Hart. Jackson received 84.2% of the Black vote, with the remaining 1.4% going to other candidates or uncommitted. The Black vote was also crucial because the crossover vote by Blacks was almost twice as great as the crossover vote by whites. 15.6% of the Blacks voting cast their ballots for a white candidate, whereas only 8.6% of the whites voted for the Black candidate. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, May 15, 1984
Date Created
1984-05-15
Description
Press release from the Voter Education Project regarding a study of the May 8 presidential primary in North Carolina, which found that the Black vote was crucial to Jesse Jackson's strong showing, and it also provided the critical edge Walter Mondale needed to beat Gary Hart in the overall voting. Hart came in first by a very slim margin among white voters, but Mondale received 13.5% of the Black vote, which was fifteen times greater than the 0.9% of the Black vote that went to Hart. Jackson received 84.2% of the Black vote, with the remaining 1.4% going to other candidates or uncommitted. The Black vote was also crucial because the crossover vote by Blacks was almost twice as great as the crossover vote by whites. 15.6% of the Blacks voting cast their ballots for a white candidate, whereas only 8.6% of the whites voted for the Black candidate. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Demographic surveys
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign in the 1980s has led to a revival of Black political interest in the South, with high Black voter registration and turnout inspiring many Blacks to run for office in unusually high numbers and giving them hope that the power of the vote will be recognized in local races for city councils, county commissions, sheriff, mayoral and congressional seats. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Jackson's Loading of Bandwagon Buoys Hopes of Black Candidates", April 25, 1984
Date Created
1984-04-25
Description
Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign in the 1980s has led to a revival of Black political interest in the South, with high Black voter registration and turnout inspiring many Blacks to run for office in unusually high numbers and giving them hope that the power of the vote will be recognized in local races for city councils, county commissions, sheriff, mayoral and congressional seats. 1 page.
Subject
Political campaigns, Voter registration, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The Atlanta City Council adopts legislation, prompted by the ACLU, to end racial and gender discrimination in several Atlanta gay bars, requiring establishments selling alcohol to make a good faith effort to ascertain legal drinking age and to post a notice at the point of entry reading, "You may be requested to show no more than one currently valid picture of identification with name and date affixed as issued by any agency of government". 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"New Anti-Discrimination Law Passes in Atlanta", February 1984
Date Created
1984-02
Description
The Atlanta City Council adopts legislation, prompted by the ACLU, to end racial and gender discrimination in several Atlanta gay bars, requiring establishments selling alcohol to make a good faith effort to ascertain legal drinking age and to post a notice at the point of entry reading, "You may be requested to show no more than one currently valid picture of identification with name and date affixed as issued by any agency of government". 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Race discrimination, African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, Sexual minorities
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The Atlanta-based Voter Education Project, led by Charles McCant, plans to challenge a county in federal court by January 14, 1984 in their effort to dismantle "one man governing boards" in Georgia that they deem undemocratic and Nazi-like, with a determination based on the Black voting age population in the targeted county and a focus on examining the racial composition of county boards of education during their tour of five counties from December 12-16. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"One Man County Boards Targeted for Lawsuit", December 8, 1983
Date Created
1983--12-08
Description
The Atlanta-based Voter Education Project, led by Charles McCant, plans to challenge a county in federal court by January 14, 1984 in their effort to dismantle "one man governing boards" in Georgia that they deem undemocratic and Nazi-like, with a determination based on the Black voting age population in the targeted county and a focus on examining the racial composition of county boards of education during their tour of five counties from December 12-16. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civil rights workers, Race discrimination
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The Republican incumbent George Israel won the mayoral general election in Macon, Georgia with 44.1% of the city's Black vote, while only 45% of registered voters participated in the election, and White voters overwhelmingly supported Israel. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, December 1, 1983
Date Created
1983--12-01
Description
The Republican incumbent George Israel won the mayoral general election in Macon, Georgia with 44.1% of the city's Black vote, while only 45% of registered voters participated in the election, and White voters overwhelmingly supported Israel. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release from the Voter Education Project regarding analysis of the Mississippi gubernatorial election, which confirmed that Black voters provided the margin of victory for Democrat Bill Allain. Allain received 46% of the white vote, but 84% of the Black vote. Voter turnout was 48%, with 49% of white registrants and 47% of Black registrants voting. The remaining three candidates in the election received only tiny percentages of the vote. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, November 28, 1983
Date Created
1983-11-28
Description
Press release from the Voter Education Project regarding analysis of the Mississippi gubernatorial election, which confirmed that Black voters provided the margin of victory for Democrat Bill Allain. Allain received 46% of the white vote, but 84% of the Black vote. Voter turnout was 48%, with 49% of white registrants and 47% of Black registrants voting. The remaining three candidates in the election received only tiny percentages of the vote. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Demographic surveys
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The Voter Education Project is hosting a Contemporary Conference on Voting Rights Issues at Virginia Union College, which aims to increase Black voter registration and participation, examine the obstacles to achieving equal Black representation, and discuss strategies for elevating registration and increasing the level of sophistication and staying power of Black registered voters in the state of Virginia and the South. 4 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, November 23, 1983
Date Created
1983--11-23
Description
The Voter Education Project is hosting a Contemporary Conference on Voting Rights Issues at Virginia Union College, which aims to increase Black voter registration and participation, examine the obstacles to achieving equal Black representation, and discuss strategies for elevating registration and increasing the level of sophistication and staying power of Black registered voters in the state of Virginia and the South. 4 pages.
Subject
African American civil rights workers, Voter registration, Voting, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Jesse Jackson urged Black students at Albany State College to join his "Rainbow Coalition" and register to vote in the 1984 presidential election, and also spoke to a convention of Black Baptists about the need for economic common ground and the restoration of moral tone in America, while expanding the Democratic Party and criticizing Congress for its refusal to pass a new Equal Rights Amendment and the recent deployment of U.S. cruise missiles in Europe and occupation of Grenada. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Students Answer Jackson's Plea by Registering", November 17, 1983
Date Created
1983-11-17
Description
Jesse Jackson urged Black students at Albany State College to join his "Rainbow Coalition" and register to vote in the 1984 presidential election, and also spoke to a convention of Black Baptists about the need for economic common ground and the restoration of moral tone in America, while expanding the Democratic Party and criticizing Congress for its refusal to pass a new Equal Rights Amendment and the recent deployment of U.S. cruise missiles in Europe and occupation of Grenada. 1 page.
Subject
Groups and organizations, African Americans--Civil rights, Political campaigns, Political participation, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A report by the Voter Education Project reveals that 88 counties across the southern United States have Black majority populations, and 65 of those have Black majorities of voting age, yet only 26% of elected officials are Black, which is attributed to persisting barriers to Black voter registration and participation. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"VEP Report Shows 88 Southern Black Majority Counties: But Political Progress Stalled", November 15, 1983
Date Created
1983--11-15
Description
A report by the Voter Education Project reveals that 88 counties across the southern United States have Black majority populations, and 65 of those have Black majorities of voting age, yet only 26% of elected officials are Black, which is attributed to persisting barriers to Black voter registration and participation. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release from the Voter Education Project regarding a report that found that there were 88 counties in the South where Blacks had a majority of the voting age population. However, Blacks only held 26% of the elected offices in these counties. The report attributed this to barriers in Black voter registration and participation, such as inaccessible registration sites, inconvenient hours for registration, and economic threats. The Voter Education Project also announced plans to register 500,000 blacks by the Fall of 1984 in order to increase Black representation in these counties. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, November 15, 1983
Date Created
1983-11-15
Description
Press release from the Voter Education Project regarding a report that found that there were 88 counties in the South where Blacks had a majority of the voting age population. However, Blacks only held 26% of the elected offices in these counties. The report attributed this to barriers in Black voter registration and participation, such as inaccessible registration sites, inconvenient hours for registration, and economic threats. The Voter Education Project also announced plans to register 500,000 blacks by the Fall of 1984 in order to increase Black representation in these counties. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Demographic surveys
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A recent Census Bureau report revealed that Southerners, particularly Georgians, had lower voter turnout compared to other regions in the United States during the previous year's general election, with only 38.6 percent of Georgia's voting age population reporting that they voted, the fourth lowest turnout among all states and the District of Columbia. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Georgians Not Big on Voting", November 11, 1983
Date Created
1983-11-11
Description
A recent Census Bureau report revealed that Southerners, particularly Georgians, had lower voter turnout compared to other regions in the United States during the previous year's general election, with only 38.6 percent of Georgia's voting age population reporting that they voted, the fourth lowest turnout among all states and the District of Columbia. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Political participation, Voting, Demographic surveys
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Louisiana Black voters played a crucial role in electing Governor-elect Edwin Edwards with 93% of their votes in the open primary, and Voter Education Project officials stated that increasing Black voter registration could significantly increase their political power in future elections. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, November 10, 1983
Date Created
1983--11-10
Description
Louisiana Black voters played a crucial role in electing Governor-elect Edwin Edwards with 93% of their votes in the open primary, and Voter Education Project officials stated that increasing Black voter registration could significantly increase their political power in future elections. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, Political participation, Political campaigns
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release from the Voter Education Project reporting that Black voters in Louisiana played a decisive role in the victory of Governor-elect Edwin Edwards. VEP officials said that Edwards received 93% of the Black vote in the open primary, while Republican incumbent David Treen received only 3.2%. VEP also said that Black voter strength in Louisiana could be increased dramatically by the 1984 elections, as almost 50% of Blacks of voting age in Louisiana were not yet registered to vote. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, November 10, 1983
Date Created
1983-11-10
Description
Press release from the Voter Education Project reporting that Black voters in Louisiana played a decisive role in the victory of Governor-elect Edwin Edwards. VEP officials said that Edwards received 93% of the Black vote in the open primary, while Republican incumbent David Treen received only 3.2%. VEP also said that Black voter strength in Louisiana could be increased dramatically by the 1984 elections, as almost 50% of Blacks of voting age in Louisiana were not yet registered to vote. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Demographic surveys
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Civil rights activist and Atlanta city councilman John Lewis received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award at the annual Voter Education Project banquet for his work in voter registration and education, and spoke optimistically about the progress towards a biracial democracy in the South, after having been beaten unconscious four times and jailed over 40 times for his civil rights and voter registration efforts. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"John Lewis Gets Award From VEP", October 28, 1983
Date Created
1983-10-28
Description
Civil rights activist and Atlanta city councilman John Lewis received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award at the annual Voter Education Project banquet for his work in voter registration and education, and spoke optimistically about the progress towards a biracial democracy in the South, after having been beaten unconscious four times and jailed over 40 times for his civil rights and voter registration efforts. 1 page.
Subject
African American civil rights workers, Voter registration, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release announcing "The Plight of Black Colleges and Universities: The Political Impact" conference held at the Robert W. Woodruff Library in Atlanta, Georgia on October 28, 1983. The conference will address the threat to historically Black colleges and universities and explore solutions such as merger strategies, converting them into vocational institutions, and increasing voter registration among Black students. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"The Plight of Black Colleges and Universities: The Political Impact", October 27, 1983
Date Created
1983--10-27
Description
VEP Press Release announcing "The Plight of Black Colleges and Universities: The Political Impact" conference held at the Robert W. Woodruff Library in Atlanta, Georgia on October 28, 1983. The conference will address the threat to historically Black colleges and universities and explore solutions such as merger strategies, converting them into vocational institutions, and increasing voter registration among Black students. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, African American students, African American universities and colleges, Special events, Voting, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release from the Voter Education Project discussing Congressman William Gray's shock and dismay at the U.S. military intervention in Grenada. He said that he was assured by the State Department officials that no military intervention would occur, and that he was concerned about the potential for military confrontation with Cuba and the Soviet Union. Gray also criticized the Reagan administration for isolating Grenada, which he said contributed to the instability of the former Grenadian government. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, October 26, 1983
Date Created
1983-10-26
Description
Press release from the Voter Education Project discussing Congressman William Gray's shock and dismay at the U.S. military intervention in Grenada. He said that he was assured by the State Department officials that no military intervention would occur, and that he was concerned about the potential for military confrontation with Cuba and the Soviet Union. Gray also criticized the Reagan administration for isolating Grenada, which he said contributed to the instability of the former Grenadian government. 2 pages.
Subject
African American civic leaders, International relations, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The Voter Education Project's Twenty-First Anniversary Banquet at the Atlanta Omni International Hotel on October 27, 7:30 P.M., will feature Congressman William H. Gray, III as keynote speaker and honor City Councilman John Lewis with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for his contributions to the struggle for voting rights and increasing Black voter registration, while the Mexican Tourist Industry and American Airlines will sponsor a door prize at the VEP dinner. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, October 24, 1983
Date Created
1983--10-24
Description
The Voter Education Project's Twenty-First Anniversary Banquet at the Atlanta Omni International Hotel on October 27, 7:30 P.M., will feature Congressman William H. Gray, III as keynote speaker and honor City Councilman John Lewis with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for his contributions to the struggle for voting rights and increasing Black voter registration, while the Mexican Tourist Industry and American Airlines will sponsor a door prize at the VEP dinner. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on how the VEP has helped register four million Black voters and increase the number of Black elected officials in the South from 72 in 1965 to early 3,000 in recent times, with most of the VEP's budget coming from foundations, grants are made to local groups ranging from $150 to $2,000, and the organization still encounters voter intimidation in some areas. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Voting Project Fills Rolls 21 years", October 23, 1983
Date Created
1983-10-23
Description
Article on how the VEP has helped register four million Black voters and increase the number of Black elected officials in the South from 72 in 1965 to early 3,000 in recent times, with most of the VEP's budget coming from foundations, grants are made to local groups ranging from $150 to $2,000, and the organization still encounters voter intimidation in some areas. 1 page.
Subject
Groups and organizations, Voter registration, Race discrimination
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release from the Voter Education Project announcing that the percentage of Blacks in the Southern population stabilized at 19.6%, halting the previous trend of a shrinking Black population percentage. This meant that Southern Blacks stabilized their numerical potential to influence elections. However, VEP Executive Director Geraldine Thompson said that the task of converting this numerical strength into more Black elected officials is a "Sisyphean task without vigorous enforcement of the Voting Rights Act." VEP Research Director Richard A. Hudlin stated that there would be more than six times the number of Southern Black elected officials if Blacks were elected at the same rate as their population percentage. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP Press Release, October 19, 1982
Date Created
1983-10-19
Description
Press release from the Voter Education Project announcing that the percentage of Blacks in the Southern population stabilized at 19.6%, halting the previous trend of a shrinking Black population percentage. This meant that Southern Blacks stabilized their numerical potential to influence elections. However, VEP Executive Director Geraldine Thompson said that the task of converting this numerical strength into more Black elected officials is a "Sisyphean task without vigorous enforcement of the Voting Rights Act." VEP Research Director Richard A. Hudlin stated that there would be more than six times the number of Southern Black elected officials if Blacks were elected at the same rate as their population percentage. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Demographic surveys
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records