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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  • Subjects = Voting
  • Decade = 1970-1979
Vivian Malone Jones ooking through paperwork.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Vivian Malone Jones, Septempber 1979
Date Created
1979-09
Description
Vivian Malone Jones ooking through paperwork.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A written history of the Voter Education Project and it's beginnings.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"History of VEP," January 1979
Date Created
1979-01
Description
A written history of the Voter Education Project and it's beginnings.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP booklet of the concise history of the VEP from 1962 to 1979 with an excerpt from an unpublished study, "Historical Overview of Race and Class In Southern Politics."
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"History of the Voter Education Project and Race and Class in Southern Politics" Booklet, 1979
Date Created
1979
Description
VEP booklet of the concise history of the VEP from 1962 to 1979 with an excerpt from an unpublished study, "Historical Overview of Race and Class In Southern Politics."
Subject
Voting, Voter Registration, Suffrage
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Speech given at a rally in Richmond, Virginia by Vivian M. Jones regarding the VEP.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Speech From Richmond, Virginia Rally, October 28, 1977
Date Created
1977-10-28
Description
Speech given at a rally in Richmond, Virginia by Vivian M. Jones regarding the VEP.
Subject
Speeches, African American civic leaders, Voting, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Speech delivered to the Hungry Club Forum of Atlanta by Vivian M. Jones regarding the VEP.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Speech Delivered to the Hungry Club Forum, October 19, 1977
Date Created
1977-10-19
Description
Speech delivered to the Hungry Club Forum of Atlanta by Vivian M. Jones regarding the VEP.
Subject
Speeches, African American civic leaders, Voting, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Voter mobilization rally promoting speaker Vivian Malone Jones. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Hear Vivian Malone Jones, VEP Executive Director", 1977
Date Created
1977
Description
Voter mobilization rally promoting speaker Vivian Malone Jones. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Political posters, Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
The 1976 southern Black vote, with record numbers of registered Black voters turning out to vote, was the most significant exercise of minority political power in the century, as evidenced by President-elect Jimmy Carter's margins of victory in the South and the victory of several congressional candidates, according to the VEP which conducted a year-long registration drive and mounted advertising campaigns and local drives to encourage voter participation. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Voter Education Projects Report on Voting by Blacks", November 27, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-27
Description
The 1976 southern Black vote, with record numbers of registered Black voters turning out to vote, was the most significant exercise of minority political power in the century, as evidenced by President-elect Jimmy Carter's margins of victory in the South and the victory of several congressional candidates, according to the VEP which conducted a year-long registration drive and mounted advertising campaigns and local drives to encourage voter participation. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on how the overwhelming turnout of Black voters helped Jimmy Carter win in the 1976 presidential election, posing a critical problem for the emerging GOP as it threatened the steady gains Republicans had made in the South, and some Republicans believed that the vote in their states was close enough to mean the GOP had not ceded the Solid South back to the Democrats. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Politicians Find Black Voters Put Carter Over in Dixie", November 14, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-14
Description
Article on how the overwhelming turnout of Black voters helped Jimmy Carter win in the 1976 presidential election, posing a critical problem for the emerging GOP as it threatened the steady gains Republicans had made in the South, and some Republicans believed that the vote in their states was close enough to mean the GOP had not ceded the Solid South back to the Democrats. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Black voters in the Southern states played a significant role in securing the victory of President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates, according to a post-election survey conducted by the Voter Education Project, with an estimated 60-70% Black turnout and 95% of the Black vote going to Carter, marking the largest Black vote in the century. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Give Carter Margin of Victory", November 8, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-08
Description
Black voters in the Southern states played a significant role in securing the victory of President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates, according to a post-election survey conducted by the Voter Education Project, with an estimated 60-70% Black turnout and 95% of the Black vote going to Carter, marking the largest Black vote in the century. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on how the VEP's year long registration drive and record Black turnout resulted in President-elect Jimmy Carter's victory in the South and several congressional candidates, with a post-election survey showing the Black turnout in 11 Southern states was 60 to 70 per cent and 95 per cent of the Black vote believed to have gone to Carter. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Record Vote by Blacks Aided Carter", November 8, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-08
Description
Article on how the VEP's year long registration drive and record Black turnout resulted in President-elect Jimmy Carter's victory in the South and several congressional candidates, with a post-election survey showing the Black turnout in 11 Southern states was 60 to 70 per cent and 95 per cent of the Black vote believed to have gone to Carter. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on VEP head John Lewis reported that Black voters in 11 Southern states turned out at a rate of 60 to 70 per cent and provided the decisive margin of victory for President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates, marking the most significant exercise of minority political power of the century. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Gave Carter Victory in South", November 8, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-08
Description
Article on VEP head John Lewis reported that Black voters in 11 Southern states turned out at a rate of 60 to 70 per cent and provided the decisive margin of victory for President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates, marking the most significant exercise of minority political power of the century. 1 page.
Subject
African American civil rights workers, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Press release stating that in the 1976 US Presidential election, the southern Black vote was a decisive and influential exercise of minority political power, providing President-elect Jimmy Carter with the margin of victory across the South, with the exception of Virginia, and electing numerous Black candidates to local and state offices. 4 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Black Voter Turnout for Jimmy Carter Presidential Race, November 7, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-07
Description
Press release stating that in the 1976 US Presidential election, the southern Black vote was a decisive and influential exercise of minority political power, providing President-elect Jimmy Carter with the margin of victory across the South, with the exception of Virginia, and electing numerous Black candidates to local and state offices. 4 pages.
Subject
Voting, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Black laborers and domestic workers in the Deep South saw Jimmy Carter as their only hope for change, citing his promises for social programs and job opportunities reminiscent of previous Democratic administrations, and ultimately giving him over 95% of their vote. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Grin Over How We Got a President", November 7, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-07
Description
Black laborers and domestic workers in the Deep South saw Jimmy Carter as their only hope for change, citing his promises for social programs and job opportunities reminiscent of previous Democratic administrations, and ultimately giving him over 95% of their vote. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation, African Americans--Social conditions
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
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
Article on the head of the VEP John Lewis, reporting that the largest Black vote of the century, resulting from a year-long registration drive and record Black turnout, gave President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates their margins of victory in the South. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Black Voters Helped Carter Carry Dixie", November 7, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-07
Description
Article on the head of the VEP John Lewis, reporting that the largest Black vote of the century, resulting from a year-long registration drive and record Black turnout, gave President-elect Jimmy Carter and several congressional candidates their margins of victory in the South. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
This article describes the influential role that Rep. Andrew Young and the "Black Atlanta Connection" played in securing Jimmy Carter's election as President of the United States, with prominent Georgians and other figures supporting Carter's campaign through their political power, personal integrity, and outreach efforts to African American communities. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Atlanta Connection Did Well", November 6, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-06
Description
This article describes the influential role that Rep. Andrew Young and the "Black Atlanta Connection" played in securing Jimmy Carter's election as President of the United States, with prominent Georgians and other figures supporting Carter's campaign through their political power, personal integrity, and outreach efforts to African American communities. 2 pages.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation, African American civic leaders, African American mayors
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on the election of Jimmy Carter to the presidency, with strong support from Black voters, was a surprise and represented a shift in the South's relationship with the rest of the nation, with many feeling a newfound sense of regional pride and an end to feelings of inferiority and exclusion. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Carters Ironic Win Delights Southerners", November 6, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-06
Description
Article on the election of Jimmy Carter to the presidency, with strong support from Black voters, was a surprise and represented a shift in the South's relationship with the rest of the nation, with many feeling a newfound sense of regional pride and an end to feelings of inferiority and exclusion. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Black voters, both rural and urban, played a decisive role in electing President Jimmy Carter in the 1976 U.S. presidential election, with preliminary studies showing that Carter received an overwhelming majority of Black votes, which contributed significantly to his victory in crucial states in the South and major Northern industrial areas. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Blacks Cast Decisive Votes in Carters Close Victory", November 5, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-05
Description
Black voters, both rural and urban, played a decisive role in electing President Jimmy Carter in the 1976 U.S. presidential election, with preliminary studies showing that Carter received an overwhelming majority of Black votes, which contributed significantly to his victory in crucial states in the South and major Northern industrial areas. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article about how Black voters, both in rural and urban areas, played a decisive role in Jimmy Carter's victory in the 1976 presidential election, as they voted for him by ratios of 9 to 1, and the concentrated Black vote gave Carter the lead in the overall popular vote, as well as contributed importantly to his strength in crucial states in the South and major Northern industrial areas. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Black Vote Put Carter Over, Studies Reveal", November 5, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-05
Description
Article about how Black voters, both in rural and urban areas, played a decisive role in Jimmy Carter's victory in the 1976 presidential election, as they voted for him by ratios of 9 to 1, and the concentrated Black vote gave Carter the lead in the overall popular vote, as well as contributed importantly to his strength in crucial states in the South and major Northern industrial areas. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Article on Birmingham, Alabama's Mayor David Vann expressing his joy at the election of President-elect Jimmy Carter, attributing his victory to the end of regionalism and a change in attitude towards the South. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Carters Win is Important Day in Souths History, Vann Says", November 4, 1976
Date Created
1976-11-04
Description
Article on Birmingham, Alabama's Mayor David Vann expressing his joy at the election of President-elect Jimmy Carter, attributing his victory to the end of regionalism and a change in attitude towards the South. 1 page.
Subject
Voting, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records