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.
4 Objects displayed
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  2. Archival Collections
  3. Voter Education Project Organizational Records
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  • Geographic Location = Washington (D.C.)
  • Subjects = African American civic leaders
Report from the Census Bureau examining voter turnout in the 1988 presidential election. The report found that voter turnout among Black Americans decreased from 56% in 1984 to 52% in 1988, with white voter turnout also decreasing from 61% to 59%, while Hispanic voter turnout fell from 33% to 29%. The report also found that Black voter turnout was higher in the North and West than it was in the South. Among Whites, voter turnout was higher in the North and West than in the South. Overall, the report found that registration rates among Black Americans, White Americans, and Hispanic Americans all decreased from 1984 to 1988. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Black Voter Turnout and Registration Rates Fall In Last Presidential Election, Census Bureau Reports", March
Date Created
1989-03-08
Description
Report from the Census Bureau examining voter turnout in the 1988 presidential election. The report found that voter turnout among Black Americans decreased from 56% in 1984 to 52% in 1988, with white voter turnout also decreasing from 61% to 59%, while Hispanic voter turnout fell from 33% to 29%. The report also found that Black voter turnout was higher in the North and West than it was in the South. Among Whites, voter turnout was higher in the North and West than in the South. Overall, the report found that registration rates among Black Americans, White Americans, and Hispanic Americans all decreased from 1984 to 1988. 3 pages.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article discussing Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield's efforts to to secure a 10-year extension of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, despite Southern pushback from Sens. James Allen and Jesse Helms, who tried to block the bill from being debated. Mansfield warned that the Senate would "confront the issue" if such tactics continued to be used. The updated bill would expand the law to cover Mexican-Americans and other language minority groups. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Voting Act Extension Is Pressed", July 19, 1975
Date Created
1975-07-19
Description
Newspaper article discussing Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield's efforts to to secure a 10-year extension of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, despite Southern pushback from Sens. James Allen and Jesse Helms, who tried to block the bill from being debated. Mansfield warned that the Senate would "confront the issue" if such tactics continued to be used. The updated bill would expand the law to cover Mexican-Americans and other language minority groups. 2 pages.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Civil rights movements
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign and the disorganization, internal conflicts, and lack of clear leadership. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Poor People's March Turns into Nightmare", circa June 1968
Date Created
1968-06
Description
A newspaper clipping describing Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign and the disorganization, internal conflicts, and lack of clear leadership. 1 page.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Protest movements
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press releases from the Republican National Committee regarding two Republican senators, Sens. Howard H. Baker of Tennessee and Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, sharing an office together on Capitol Hill, the appointment of a black gubernatorial aide, William D. Johnson, to the Governor's Office of Pennsylvania under Gov. Raymond P. Shafer, and the establishment of a plan to attract Black voters to the GOP by Clarence L. Townes, Jr., special assistant to the Republican National Chairman at the time. These press releases demonstrate the issues that most impacted the GOP as it attempted to establish itself as a leading party. 4 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Republican National Committee Press Releases, January 26, 1967
Date Created
1967-01-26
Description
Press releases from the Republican National Committee regarding two Republican senators, Sens. Howard H. Baker of Tennessee and Edward Brooke of Massachusetts, sharing an office together on Capitol Hill, the appointment of a black gubernatorial aide, William D. Johnson, to the Governor's Office of Pennsylvania under Gov. Raymond P. Shafer, and the establishment of a plan to attract Black voters to the GOP by Clarence L. Townes, Jr., special assistant to the Republican National Chairman at the time. These press releases demonstrate the issues that most impacted the GOP as it attempted to establish itself as a leading party. 4 pages.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Voting, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records