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.
15 Objects displayed
AllCollectionsObjects
  1. Browse Repository
  2. Archival Collections
  3. Voter Education Project Organizational Records
For:
  • Geographic Location = Mississippi
Black voters in the Southern states played a significant role in securing the victory of President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates, according to a post-election survey conducted by the Voter Education Project, with an estimated 60-70% Black turnout and 95% of the Black vote going to Carter, marking the largest Black vote in the century. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Give Carter Margin of Victory", November 8, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-08
Description
Black voters in the Southern states played a significant role in securing the victory of President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates, according to a post-election survey conducted by the Voter Education Project, with an estimated 60-70% Black turnout and 95% of the Black vote going to Carter, marking the largest Black vote in the century. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Flyer urging voter participation to stand up for citizens rights like safe roadways and bridges. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Warning, Nonparticipation in Government May be Hazardous to Your Health", circa 1975
Date Created
1972/1978
Description
Flyer urging voter participation to stand up for citizens rights like safe roadways and bridges. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Political posters, Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Statement by Julian Bond reviewing the Voting Rights Tour of Mississippi.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Statement by Julian Bond," July 1, 1971
Date Created
1971-07-01
Description
Statement by Julian Bond reviewing the Voting Rights Tour of Mississippi.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Statement by John Lewis reviewing the Voting Rights Tour of Mississippi.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Statement by John Lewis," July 1, 1971
Date Created
1971-07-01
Description
Statement by John Lewis reviewing the Voting Rights Tour of Mississippi.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Statement by John Lewis reviewing the Voting Rights Tour of Mississippi.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Statement by John Lewis," July 1, 1971
Date Created
1971-07-01
Description
Statement by John Lewis reviewing the Voting Rights Tour of Mississippi.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence sent from John Lewis to Attorney General John Mitchell regarding voter registration in Mississippi.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence Between John Lewis and John Mitchell, April 19, 1971
Date Created
1971-04-19
Description
Correspondence sent from John Lewis to Attorney General John Mitchell regarding voter registration in Mississippi.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing the changes in voting and voter registration in the South. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"The Right to Vote", March 21, 1969
Date Created
1969--03-21
Description
A newspaper clipping describing the changes in voting and voter registration in the South. 1 page.
Subject
Voting, Voter registration, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A note and magazine article profiling Robert G. Clark, a legislator in Mississippi. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Challenging White Rule", March 17, 1969
Date Created
1969--03-17
Description
A note and magazine article profiling Robert G. Clark, a legislator in Mississippi. 3 pages.
Subject
Voting, Voter registration, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A note and two newspaper clippings regarding speakers Julian Bond, Horace Ward, and Bayard Rustin, at a two-day institute in Mississippi sponsored by the Southern Regional Council. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"'Race Secondary' New Officials Told", December 17, 1967
Date Created
1967-12-17
Description
A note and two newspaper clippings regarding speakers Julian Bond, Horace Ward, and Bayard Rustin, at a two-day institute in Mississippi sponsored by the Southern Regional Council. 3 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Politics and government, Political participation, African American civic leaders, Political science
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article discussing the completion of a vote count in Hinds County, Mississippi in primary races, despite complications with the vote-tabulating computer technology. The plodding vote-tabulating computer revealed that 18 men claimed first primary victories in Hinds County political races. Fourteen races were to be decided in a second primary vote on August 29th, and the status of two other races hinged on the outcome of absentee ballots. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Hinds Vote Count Completed 40 Hours After Polls Closed", August 11, 1967
Date Created
1967-08-11
Description
Newspaper article discussing the completion of a vote count in Hinds County, Mississippi in primary races, despite complications with the vote-tabulating computer technology. The plodding vote-tabulating computer revealed that 18 men claimed first primary victories in Hinds County political races. Fourteen races were to be decided in a second primary vote on August 29th, and the status of two other races hinged on the outcome of absentee ballots. 1 page.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper clippings describing election troubles and results for Mississippi. 6 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Long Ballot, Heavy Vote To Slow Election Count", August 6, 1967
Date Created
1967-08-06
Description
Newspaper clippings describing election troubles and results for Mississippi. 6 pages.
Subject
Voting, Voter registration, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing the growing number of Black voters in the South. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"New Negro Voting Watched in South", November 7, 1966
Date Created
1966--11-07
Description
A newspaper clipping describing the growing number of Black voters in the South. 2 pages.
Subject
Voting, Voter registration, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A copy of a newspaper clipping describing voter registration drives in Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Non-Voters Fireworks", June 30, 1966
Date Created
1966-06-30
Description
A copy of a newspaper clipping describing voter registration drives in Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana. 1 page.
Subject
Voting, Voter registration, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article entitled "South's Negro Voters Nearly Doubled" discussing rise in Black voter registration in five Southern states -- Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"South's Negro Voters Nearly Doubled", circa 1965
Date Created
1960/1970
Description
Article entitled "South's Negro Voters Nearly Doubled" discussing rise in Black voter registration in five Southern states -- Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Race relations, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The statement expresses the purpose and goals of the tour.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Statement of the Mississippi Voting Rights Tour," 1971
Description
The statement expresses the purpose and goals of the tour.
Subject
Special events, Voter Registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records