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 = African Americans--Civil rights
Flyer depicting the struggle in Selma, Alabama, and urging young voters to exercise their right to vote so as to not revisit this horrible event. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"1965, Bloody Sunday, Selma", circa 1971
Date Created
1968/1975
Description
Flyer depicting the struggle in Selma, Alabama, and urging young voters to exercise their right to vote so as to not revisit this horrible event. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Political posters, Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
VEP press release on how eleven southern states now have a Black population of 27% or higher, which could lead to better representation in government positions. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
1980 Black Voter Population Press Release, May 14, 1982
Date Created
1982-05-14
Description
VEP press release on how eleven southern states now have a Black population of 27% or higher, which could lead to better representation in government positions. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Politics and government, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article discussing the Southern Regional Council's launching of a major voter registration campaign aimed at the two million unregistered African Americans in 11 Southern states. The SRC's program was to be carried out in cooperation with the NAACP, SCLC, SNCC, CORE, and the National Urban League. The goal of the campaign was to register more African Americans to vote and to help them participate in the political process. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"2 Million Negro Voters Are Sought", February 18, 1966
Date Created
1966-02-18
Description
Newspaper article discussing the Southern Regional Council's launching of a major voter registration campaign aimed at the two million unregistered African Americans in 11 Southern states. The SRC's program was to be carried out in cooperation with the NAACP, SCLC, SNCC, CORE, and the National Urban League. The goal of the campaign was to register more African Americans to vote and to help them participate in the political process. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing the number of Black candidates seeking political office in the South. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"250 Negroes Seek Offices in South", circa 1968
Date Created
1963/1973
Description
A newspaper clipping describing the number of Black candidates seeking political office in the South. 1 page.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, Voting
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article discussing the candidacy qualification of 50 Atlanta residents to run for office in the 1981 city elections. The race for mayor was viewed as particularly competitive, with Former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young and state Rep. Sidney Marcus considered the front-runners. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"50 Candidates Pay Their Qualifying Fees For Atlanta City Elections", August 19, 1981
Date Created
1981-08-19
Description
Newspaper article discussing the candidacy qualification of 50 Atlanta residents to run for office in the 1981 city elections. The race for mayor was viewed as particularly competitive, with Former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young and state Rep. Sidney Marcus considered the front-runners. 1 page.
Subject
Political campaigns, African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A Beginners Notebook on Political Participation, by VEP and the Interdenominational Theological Center Rural Black Church and Community Leadership Training Program, Illustrated by Avery Miller. 23 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"A Beginners Notebook on Political Participation", March 1976
Date Created
1976-03
Description
A Beginners Notebook on Political Participation, by VEP and the Interdenominational Theological Center Rural Black Church and Community Leadership Training Program, Illustrated by Avery Miller. 23 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, Voting, African American churches
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping discussing possible Black candidates for Mayor of Atlanta. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"A Negro as Mayor Here in 6 Years?", November 13, 1967
Date Created
1967-11-13
Description
A newspaper clipping discussing possible Black candidates for Mayor of Atlanta. 1 page.
Subject
Voting, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A magazine article discussing the challenges faced by liberalism amid social change movements. 3 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"A New Chance for Liberals", May 1970
Date Created
1970-05
Description
A magazine article discussing the challenges faced by liberalism amid social change movements. 3 pages.
Subject
Race relations, Race discrimination, Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing the need to elect Black leaders to local public offices. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"A New Job for The Establishment", circa 1969
Date Created
1964/1974
Description
A newspaper clipping describing the need to elect Black leaders to local public offices. 1 page.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, African Americans--Civil rights, African American civic leaders
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A short history and activities conducted by the VEP. 9 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"A Statement on the Voter Education Project of the Southern Regional Council, Inc.", June 14, 1969
Date Created
1969-06-14
Description
A short history and activities conducted by the VEP. 9 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta, African American civil rights workers, Voter registration, Voting, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Newspaper article discussing a Virginia election in which the Democratic organization narrowly beat out the liberal opposition to retain party control in the state. The Democratic Party of Virginia held its state convention in Salem, which was marked by a tense showdown between the Democratic Organization and liberal forces. The Organization retained its hold on the state party chairmanship, with Watkins M. Abbitt being re-elected to a second four-year term. The unit rule, which would have required Virginia's entire 54 votes to be cast in a bloc as the majority decided, was defeated in the convention's Resolutions Committee. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Abbitt Retains Chair; Unit Rule Voted Out", July 28, 1968
Date Created
1968-07-28
Description
Newspaper article discussing a Virginia election in which the Democratic organization narrowly beat out the liberal opposition to retain party control in the state. The Democratic Party of Virginia held its state convention in Salem, which was marked by a tense showdown between the Democratic Organization and liberal forces. The Organization retained its hold on the state party chairmanship, with Watkins M. Abbitt being re-elected to a second four-year term. The unit rule, which would have required Virginia's entire 54 votes to be cast in a bloc as the majority decided, was defeated in the convention's Resolutions Committee. 2 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government, Political campaigns
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A flyer from the NAACP and VEP promoting time and place for voting registration. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Action for Freedom, Register to Vote", June 14, 1969
Date Created
1969--06-14
Description
A flyer from the NAACP and VEP promoting time and place for voting registration. 1 page.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, Political posters, Voter registration
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A copy of a speech given by Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach at the Emancipation Day Ceremonies discussing civil rights, discrimination, and civic participation. 8 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Address by Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, January 2, 1966
Date Created
1966-01-02
Description
A copy of a speech given by Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach at the Emancipation Day Ceremonies discussing civil rights, discrimination, and civic participation. 8 pages.
Subject
Political participation, African Americans--Politics and government, Race discrimination, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
List of administrative and legal barriers to minority political participation, which was included in the VEP's "Election Notebook." In the past, minorities in the Southern states faced a number of barriers to registering to vote and voting, including purges and reregistration, discriminatory location of polling places, intimidation and exclusion of minority poll workers, and legal barriers such as at-large voting requirements and malapportioned election districts. These barriers made it difficult for minorities to participate in the political process and undermined their right to vote. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Administrative and Legal Barriers to Minority Political Participation, circa 1975
Date Created
1972/1978
Description
List of administrative and legal barriers to minority political participation, which was included in the VEP's "Election Notebook." In the past, minorities in the Southern states faced a number of barriers to registering to vote and voting, including purges and reregistration, discriminatory location of polling places, intimidation and exclusion of minority poll workers, and legal barriers such as at-large voting requirements and malapportioned election districts. These barriers made it difficult for minorities to participate in the political process and undermined their right to vote. 1 page.
Subject
African American civic leaders, African Americans--Civil rights, Race discrimination, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
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
Street view of AFSCME headquarters.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
AFSCME Headquarters, circa 1977
Date Created
1975/1979
Description
Street view of AFSCME headquarters.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, Buildings and grounds
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping describing barriers to voter registration in Wilcox County, Alabama. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Again, Wilcox County, Alabama", April 11, 1964
Date Created
1964-04-11
Description
A newspaper clipping describing barriers to voter registration in Wilcox County, Alabama. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Race discrimination, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Agenda Strategic Conference on "Removing Administrative Obstacles to Voting" which includes location, schedule, and description of events. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Agenda Strategic Conference on "Removing Administrative Obstacles to Voting", April 17, 1972
Date Created
1972-04-17
Description
Agenda Strategic Conference on "Removing Administrative Obstacles to Voting" which includes location, schedule, and description of events. 2 pages.
Subject
African Americans--Civil rights, African American women's suffrage, Women's rights, Women--Societies and clubs, Voter registration, African Americans--Politics and government
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
Articles and photos from "Speakin' Out News" on the Alabama Democratic Conference. 2 pages.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Alabama Democratic Conference Semi-Annual Convention Held in Tuscaloosa, Alabama" March 24-April 13, 1982
Date Created
1982-03
Description
Articles and photos from "Speakin' Out News" on the Alabama Democratic Conference. 2 pages.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, African Americans--Civil rights, Political participation
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
A newspaper clipping quoting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Burke Marshall and discussing the enactment of civil rights legislation. 1 page.
Voter Education Project Organizational Records
"Alabama in Sad Shape, Marshall", May 15, 1964
Date Created
1964-05-15
Description
A newspaper clipping quoting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Burke Marshall and discussing the enactment of civil rights legislation. 1 page.
Subject
Voter registration, Voting, Political participation, African Americans--Civil rights
Collection
Voter Education Project Organizational Records