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.
3 Objects displayed
AllCollectionsObjects
  1. Browse Repository
  2. Archival Collections
  3. Voter Education Project Organizational Records
For:
  • Document Type = text
  • Geographic Location = North Carolina--Chapel Hill
Correspondence from Warren J. Wicker, then-Assistant Director of the Institute of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to John R. Lewis, then Director of the Voter Education Project, regarding the formation of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Charter Commission. In 1969, the North Carolina General Assembly created the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charter Commission to develop a charter for consolidated government in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County. The Commission was tasked with including provisions in the charter to assure fair representation on all appointive boards and commissions. The director of the Commission's research staff was asked to prepare a memorandum outlining methods by which this goal could be accomplished. The research revealed that very little had been done in this area, and the following memo was sent to VEP with the request for any additional information about approaches that may have been missed and was included in the VEP's "Election Notebook." 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from Warren J. Wicker to VEP Regarding the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charter Commision, May 8, 1970
Date Created
1970-05-08
Description
Correspondence from Warren J. Wicker, then-Assistant Director of the Institute of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to John R. Lewis, then Director of the Voter Education Project, regarding the formation of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Charter Commission. In 1969, the North Carolina General Assembly created the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charter Commission to develop a charter for consolidated government in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County. The Commission was tasked with including provisions in the charter to assure fair representation on all appointive boards and commissions. The director of the Commission's research staff was asked to prepare a memorandum outlining methods by which this goal could be accomplished. The research revealed that very little had been done in this area, and the following memo was sent to VEP with the request for any additional information about approaches that may have been missed and was included in the VEP's "Election Notebook." 1 page.
Subject
African American leadership, African Americans--Civil rights, African Americans--Politics and government, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Proposal for methods of assuring minority representation on appointive and commissions composed by Jake Wicker in regard to his research on fair representation in appointed positions. In 1969, the North Carolina General Assembly created the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charter Commission to develop a charter for consolidated government in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County. The Commission was tasked with including provisions in the charter to assure fair representation on all appointive boards and commissions. The Commission considered a number of approaches, including requiring that some members of certain boards and commissions be women or members of minority groups, limiting the number of members of the same race or sex on a board, and giving individual members of the governing board appointing authority. The Commission also considered the use of ex officio membership on boards and commissions. All of these methods were detailed in the following report included in the VEP's "Election Notebook." 1 page. 16 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charter Commission Minority Representation Proposal, May 5, 1970
Date Created
1970-05-05
Description
Proposal for methods of assuring minority representation on appointive and commissions composed by Jake Wicker in regard to his research on fair representation in appointed positions. In 1969, the North Carolina General Assembly created the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Charter Commission to develop a charter for consolidated government in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County. The Commission was tasked with including provisions in the charter to assure fair representation on all appointive boards and commissions. The Commission considered a number of approaches, including requiring that some members of certain boards and commissions be women or members of minority groups, limiting the number of members of the same race or sex on a board, and giving individual members of the governing board appointing authority. The Commission also considered the use of ex officio membership on boards and commissions. All of these methods were detailed in the following report included in the VEP's "Election Notebook." 1 page. 16 pages.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from W. E. Mason III of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Human Relations Council to the Southern Regional Council regarding the availability of SRC publications. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Correspondence from W. E. Mason III to the Southern Regional Council, circa 1965
Date Created
1960/1970
Description
Correspondence from W. E. Mason III of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Human Relations Council to the Southern Regional Council regarding the availability of SRC publications. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African Americans--Politics and government, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records