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.
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  • Geographic Location = New York--New York
  • Subjects = Political participation
Newspaper article regarding the rapid increase of Black voter registration and turnout, fueled by a tour of Black leaders. The tour, which included the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Coretta Scott King, was credited with dampening apathy among Black voters. The leaders urged Blacks to register and vote, arguing that their votes could be decisive in key cities such as Cleveland, New York, and Chicago. While it was too early to say how the increased voter registration would translate into votes, the leaders were hopeful that Blacks will turn out in large numbers on Election Day. They believed that the Black vote could be the difference between victory and defeat for Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Are Pleased By Election Effort", October 31, 1976
Date Created
1976-10-31
Description
Newspaper article regarding the rapid increase of Black voter registration and turnout, fueled by a tour of Black leaders. The tour, which included the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Coretta Scott King, was credited with dampening apathy among Black voters. The leaders urged Blacks to register and vote, arguing that their votes could be decisive in key cities such as Cleveland, New York, and Chicago. While it was too early to say how the increased voter registration would translate into votes, the leaders were hopeful that Blacks will turn out in large numbers on Election Day. They believed that the Black vote could be the difference between victory and defeat for Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter. 1 page.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Presidents
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
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.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Jimmy Carter Democratic National Convention" Booklet, 1976
Date Created
1976
Description
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.
Subject
Political campaigns, Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Table representing the 1976 Presidential Election results and estimated voter participation in the Southern States, including information regarding total votes cast estimated Black registration, and estimated Black voter turnout. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Table of 1976 Presidential Election Results Estimated Voter Participation, 1976
Date Created
1976
Description
Table representing the 1976 Presidential Election results and estimated voter participation in the Southern States, including information regarding total votes cast estimated Black registration, and estimated Black voter turnout. 1 page.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Presidents
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Report written by Lucy S. Dawidowicz regarding the implications of the 1966 midterm elections. The 1966 midterm elections were a mixed bag for both parties. The Republicans made significant gains, but the Democrats still retained control of both houses of Congress. The results of the election were interpreted in many different ways, with some seeing it as a victory for the right, others as a repudiation of President Johnson's Vietnam policy, and still others as a sign of dissatisfaction with the liberal consensus. Overall, Dawidowicz suggests in her analysis that the 1966 midterm elections resulted in a more conservative composition of Congress, which liberals feared would slow down the legislative pace. However, the deceleration of Congress's legislative pace had already begun before the election, as the nation's mood favored a halt in passing new laws. The backlash haunted the election, but it was largely mitigated by the two-party system, which forced both parties to integrate many clusters of voter interests and issues. 28 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"The 1966 Elections: A Political Patchwork" by Lucy S. Dawidowicz, April 1967
Date Created
1967-04
Author
Lucy S. Dawidowicz
Description
Report written by Lucy S. Dawidowicz regarding the implications of the 1966 midterm elections. The 1966 midterm elections were a mixed bag for both parties. The Republicans made significant gains, but the Democrats still retained control of both houses of Congress. The results of the election were interpreted in many different ways, with some seeing it as a victory for the right, others as a repudiation of President Johnson's Vietnam policy, and still others as a sign of dissatisfaction with the liberal consensus. Overall, Dawidowicz suggests in her analysis that the 1966 midterm elections resulted in a more conservative composition of Congress, which liberals feared would slow down the legislative pace. However, the deceleration of Congress's legislative pace had already begun before the election, as the nation's mood favored a halt in passing new laws. The backlash haunted the election, but it was largely mitigated by the two-party system, which forced both parties to integrate many clusters of voter interests and issues. 28 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records