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.
11 Objects displayed
AllCollectionsObjects
  1. Browse Repository
  2. Archival Collections
  3. Voter Education Project Organizational Records
For:
  • Subjects = Associations, institutions, etc.
  • Subjects = Political participation
On June 18, the Senate passed the Voting Rights Extension Act by a vote of 85-to-8, culminating a year and a half struggle to continue the protections of the federal civil rights law despite initial opposition and attempts to weaken it, with bipartisan efforts leading to the passage of a strong and effective extension bill. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Memo, Voting Right Extension Act, June 29, 1982
Date Created
1982-06-29
Description
On June 18, the Senate passed the Voting Rights Extension Act by a vote of 85-to-8, culminating a year and a half struggle to continue the protections of the federal civil rights law despite initial opposition and attempts to weaken it, with bipartisan efforts leading to the passage of a strong and effective extension bill. 3 pages.
Subject
Associations, institutions, etc., African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Letter to the editor from Melinda D. Owens protesting the unfair treatment of workers by Pepsi Cola in middle Georgia. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Letter to the Editor from Melinda D. Owens, 1982
Date Created
1982
Description
Letter to the editor from Melinda D. Owens protesting the unfair treatment of workers by Pepsi Cola in middle Georgia. 1 page.
Subject
Labor, Political participation, Associations, institutions, etc., African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on seventeen union strikers won't be allowed to have former positions until new positions become open in the Pepsi company. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Pepsi Strikers Can't Have Former Jobs", circa 1982
Date Created
1981/1983
Description
Article on seventeen union strikers won't be allowed to have former positions until new positions become open in the Pepsi company. 1 page.
Subject
Labor, Political participation, Associations, institutions, etc., African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Two men stand underneath a sign discouraging the purchase of Pepsi products to support worker's rights. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Support Labor", circa 1982
Date Created
1981/1983
Description
Two men stand underneath a sign discouraging the purchase of Pepsi products to support worker's rights. 1 page.
Subject
Labor, Political participation, Associations, institutions, etc., African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on the anger of Pepsi-Cola's worker's wives, and how they are upset by the poor treatment of the company to their employees. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Strikers Wives Angry", circa 1982
Date Created
1981/1983
Description
Article on the anger of Pepsi-Cola's worker's wives, and how they are upset by the poor treatment of the company to their employees. 1 page.
Subject
Labor, Political participation, Associations, institutions, etc., African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing Ralph D. Abernathy's selection to be President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"SCLC Hails Abernathy", August 15, 1969
Date Created
1969--08-15
Description
A newspaper clipping describing Ralph D. Abernathy's selection to be President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. 2 pages.
Subject
Voting, Associations, institutions, etc., Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing a convention of NAACP leaders in Oklahoma City. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Race Problems Chief Target of Conference", March 14, 1969
Date Created
1969--03-14
Description
A newspaper clipping describing a convention of NAACP leaders in Oklahoma City. 1 page.
Subject
Voting, Associations, institutions, etc., Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing the Southern Regional Council's withdrawal of support from the Northern Virginia Voter Education Project. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Voter Project Loses Grant", August 4, 1966
Date Created
1966-08-04
Description
A newspaper clipping describing the Southern Regional Council's withdrawal of support from the Northern Virginia Voter Education Project. 1 page.
Subject
Voting, Voter registration, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation, Associations, institutions, etc.
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
An agenda relating to the Southern Interagency Conference is accompanied by a short page of notes and a list of requests pertaining to the conference. 4 pages
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence, Notes, and Agenda Related to the Southern Interagency Conference, April 1966
Date Created
1966-04
Description
An agenda relating to the Southern Interagency Conference is accompanied by a short page of notes and a list of requests pertaining to the conference. 4 pages
Subject
Associations, institutions, etc., Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from James Johnson of the United States National Student Association to Vernon E. Jordan regarding a meeting between the two and referencing attached copies of a report on a project to recruit volunteers for voter registration work and a questionnaire for a publication of service projects for students. 10 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from James Johnson to Vernon E. Jordan, February 23, 1966
Date Created
1966-02-23
Description
Correspondence from James Johnson of the United States National Student Association to Vernon E. Jordan regarding a meeting between the two and referencing attached copies of a report on a project to recruit volunteers for voter registration work and a questionnaire for a publication of service projects for students. 10 pages.
Subject
Associations, institutions, etc., Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from the United States National Student Association distributed to Program Directors, Information Directors, and Staff of Anti-Poverty, Civil Rights, and Community Service Organizations to obtain information regarding community welfare, action and service projects that students could participate in. A blank information form is included. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from the United States National Student Association, February 15, 1966
Date Created
1966-02-15
Description
Correspondence from the United States National Student Association distributed to Program Directors, Information Directors, and Staff of Anti-Poverty, Civil Rights, and Community Service Organizations to obtain information regarding community welfare, action and service projects that students could participate in. A blank information form is included. 3 pages.
Subject
Associations, institutions, etc., Political participation, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records