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 = South Carolina--Columbia
Black voters played a decisive role in the victory of President-elect Jimmy Carter and other congressional candidates in the South, with a post-election survey showing a 60-70% Black turnout in 11 Southern states and 95% of the Black vote going to Carter, according to John Lewis, executive director of the Voter Education Project. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Gave Margin, Survey Says", November 7, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-07
Description
Black voters played a decisive role in the victory of President-elect Jimmy Carter and other congressional candidates in the South, with a post-election survey showing a 60-70% Black turnout in 11 Southern states and 95% of the Black vote going to Carter, according to John Lewis, executive director of the Voter Education Project. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Recommendations from "Conference on Making the Election Process Work" with enclosed memo, conference materials, and summary report of the conference. 25 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Recommendations from Conference on Making the Election Process Work", September 25, 1973
Date Created
1973-09-25
Description
Recommendations from "Conference on Making the Election Process Work" with enclosed memo, conference materials, and summary report of the conference. 25 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Women--Societies and clubs
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Participants at Conference on Making the Election Process Work: Improving Registration and Polling Place Operations League of Women Voters Education Fund in Columbia, South Carolina listing participants, speakers, discussion leaders, staff, and trustees. 5 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Participants at Conference on Making the Election Process Work: Improving Registration and Polling Place Opera
Date Created
1973-09-25
Description
Participants at Conference on Making the Election Process Work: Improving Registration and Polling Place Operations League of Women Voters Education Fund in Columbia, South Carolina listing participants, speakers, discussion leaders, staff, and trustees. 5 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Preliminary Agenda Conference on Making the Election Process Work: Improving Registration and Polling Place Operations of the League of Women Voters Education Fund in Columbia, South Carolina. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Preliminary Agenda Conference on Making the Election Process Work, September 25, 1973
Date Created
1973-09-25
Description
Preliminary Agenda Conference on Making the Election Process Work: Improving Registration and Polling Place Operations of the League of Women Voters Education Fund in Columbia, South Carolina. 3 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
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.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"District Chairman Withers Defeated," June 10, 1970
Date Created
1970-06-10
Description
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.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political campaigns
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article regarding 225 people, mostly African Americans, marching in Hampton, South Carolina to protest red tape and slowness in implementing federal poverty programs. The march was organized by the Hampton NAACP and included students from Notre Dame University and St. Mary's College. There were no arrests during the march, but four people were arrested on Thursday for blocking traffic on U.S. 601. The students from Notre Dame and St. Mary's had been in the area conducting a survey of poverty conditions. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Protestors Stage March", April 12, 1969
Date Created
1969-04-12
Description
Newspaper article regarding 225 people, mostly African Americans, marching in Hampton, South Carolina to protest red tape and slowness in implementing federal poverty programs. The march was organized by the Hampton NAACP and included students from Notre Dame University and St. Mary's College. There were no arrests during the march, but four people were arrested on Thursday for blocking traffic on U.S. 601. The students from Notre Dame and St. Mary's had been in the area conducting a survey of poverty conditions. 1 page.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, African American student movements, Protest movements, African Americans--Education
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from Thomas Moss, director of South Carolina's Voter Education Project, to Marvin Wall, VEP's Director of Research, with the campaign cards of three Black candidates running for city council in Denmark, South Carolina. 4 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
City Council Campaign Cards for Black Candidates In Denmark, South Carolina, February 5, 1969
Date Created
1969-02-05
Description
Correspondence from Thomas Moss, director of South Carolina's Voter Education Project, to Marvin Wall, VEP's Director of Research, with the campaign cards of three Black candidates running for city council in Denmark, South Carolina. 4 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political campaigns
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article discussing a rift between traditional civil rights leaders and younger activists who favor "Black power" demonstrated at a conference on voter registration and political action in South Carolina. Both groups agreed that Black leaders need to do more to reach out to the poor and young, but they disagreed on how to achieve this goal. Traditional leaders argued that Black voters should focus on building political power within the existing system, while younger activists argued that Black voters should be more willing to use direct action and protest. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Negro Leadership Subject of Debate", November 3, 1967
Date Created
1967-11-03
Description
Newspaper article discussing a rift between traditional civil rights leaders and younger activists who favor "Black power" demonstrated at a conference on voter registration and political action in South Carolina. Both groups agreed that Black leaders need to do more to reach out to the poor and young, but they disagreed on how to achieve this goal. Traditional leaders argued that Black voters should focus on building political power within the existing system, while younger activists argued that Black voters should be more willing to use direct action and protest. 1 page.
Subject
African American leadership, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from Marvin Wall to Vernon Jordan including a program and newspaper clipping regarding a tribute to Richard E. Miles. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from Marvin Wall to Vernon E. Jordan, December 27, 1966
Date Created
1966-12-27
Description
Correspondence from Marvin Wall to Vernon Jordan including a program and newspaper clipping regarding a tribute to Richard E. Miles. 3 pages.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African Americans--Politics and government, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records