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.
12 Objects displayed
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  2. Archival Collections
  3. Voter Education Project Organizational Records
For:
  • Subjects = Race relations
  • Decade = 1960-1969
A newspaper clipping describing criticism of Atlanta Mayor, Ivan Allen Jr.. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Allen Needs Help, Some Critics Feel", December 9, 1969
Date Created
1969-12-09
Description
A newspaper clipping describing criticism of Atlanta Mayor, Ivan Allen Jr.. 2 pages.
Subject
Race relations, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The article discusses political figure Julian Bond, who is well-known and influential in the Atlanta Black community, but may not fare well among White voters in Georgia, and questions whether it is equally "racial" politics to suggest that in the future Black voters will only vote for a Black candidate. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"The Mayors Race", February 19, 1969
Date Created
1969--02-19
Author
Gulliver, Hal
Description
The article discusses political figure Julian Bond, who is well-known and influential in the Atlanta Black community, but may not fare well among White voters in Georgia, and questions whether it is equally "racial" politics to suggest that in the future Black voters will only vote for a Black candidate. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, African American civic leaders, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, Voting, Race relations
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
In 1969, State Rep. Julian Bond predicted that a Black mayor would be elected in Atlanta, and that Black Atlanta would become the majority, resulting in either an orderly transition of government or a state of political cold war between the races, depending on the willingness of the Black community to unify and the White community to accept the inevitable future, and argued for the need for a strong political organization and ward elections in the city. With correspondence from Billie Pfiffner to Vernon Jordan concerning Julian Bond's interest in Congress over mayorship. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Last White Mayor in '69, Bond Says", February 13, 1969
Date Created
1969--02-13
Description
In 1969, State Rep. Julian Bond predicted that a Black mayor would be elected in Atlanta, and that Black Atlanta would become the majority, resulting in either an orderly transition of government or a state of political cold war between the races, depending on the willingness of the Black community to unify and the White community to accept the inevitable future, and argued for the need for a strong political organization and ward elections in the city. With correspondence from Billie Pfiffner to Vernon Jordan concerning Julian Bond's interest in Congress over mayorship. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, African American civic leaders, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, Voting, Race relations
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A public information meeting in Atlanta, which was meant to be a presentation on the city's schools, turned into a heated debate between White and Black attendees on the commitment of school officials to improving education in economically deprived areas, with some speakers criticizing the quality of education in these areas and others endorsing the efforts of the school board to improve the situation. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Bitter Debate Rages on Ghetto Schools", February 11, 1969
Date Created
1969--02-11
Author
Hurt, Bob
Description
A public information meeting in Atlanta, which was meant to be a presentation on the city's schools, turned into a heated debate between White and Black attendees on the commitment of school officials to improving education in economically deprived areas, with some speakers criticizing the quality of education in these areas and others endorsing the efforts of the school board to improve the situation. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, African Americans--Education, Voting, Race relations
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing a meeting of the Afro-Exonian Society to "exchange notes and viewpoints about certain topics, primarily the racial situation." 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"AES, Vietnam Symposium Held Over Weekend", May 22, 1968
Date Created
1968-05-22
Description
A newspaper clipping describing a meeting of the Afro-Exonian Society to "exchange notes and viewpoints about certain topics, primarily the racial situation." 2 pages.
Subject
Race relations, Race discrimination, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A copy of a newspaper clipping with an article written by Bayard Rustin describing racism in American institution. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Soul Searching Vs. Social Change", May 18, 1968
Date Created
1968-05-18
Description
A copy of a newspaper clipping with an article written by Bayard Rustin describing racism in American institution. 1 page.
Subject
Race discrimination, Race relations, Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A note and accompanying newspaper clipping describing the complications and inconsistencies regarding integration in the South. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Pattern of Integration is Erratic in South After Collapse of Mass Rights Movement", May 29, 1967
Date Created
1967-05-29
Description
A note and accompanying newspaper clipping describing the complications and inconsistencies regarding integration in the South. 3 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African Americans--Segregation, Race discrimination, Race relations
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article entitled "White Backlash Sways Voting" describing white backlash to Black voter registration and Black Americans running for office. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"White Backlash Sways Voting", November 9, 1966
Date Created
1966-11-09
Description
Article entitled "White Backlash Sways Voting" describing white backlash to Black voter registration and Black Americans running for office. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Race relations, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A survey published by the U.S. Department of Commerce comparing demographic statistics of Black Americans. 4 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Negro population: March 1965", Population Characteristics, December 27, 1965
Date Created
1965-12-27
Description
A survey published by the U.S. Department of Commerce comparing demographic statistics of Black Americans. 4 pages.
Subject
Race relations, Voter registration, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing the Alabama State Legislature's racial investigation committee hiring an investigators. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Race Committee Hires Agent", March 25, 1964
Date Created
1964-03-25
Description
A newspaper clipping describing the Alabama State Legislature's racial investigation committee hiring an investigators. 1 page.
Subject
Race relations, Race discrimination, Political science
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping highlighting the evolving terminology used to describe Black people in the United States. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"You Wouldn't Say 'Nigroo Power'", circa 1968
Date Created
1963/1973
Description
A newspaper clipping highlighting the evolving terminology used to describe Black people in the United States. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African American students, Race discrimination, Race relations
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