The Mary Ann Smith Wilson - Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism spans the dates 1948-2008 with the bulk of the material dated 1960-1967. The collection documents both Ruby Doris Smith Robinson's and Mary Ann Smith Wilson's participation in the civil rights movement and the organizations with which they were affiliated. Although the collection documents both sisters' activities, the bulk of the collection reflects Ruby Doris Smith Robinson’s activism activities in the civil rights movement. Also included in the collection are photographs, correspondences, news articles, programs, reports, and flyers.

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.
Aug 7, 2023

Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism

The Mary Ann Smith Wilson - Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism spans the dates 1948-2008 with the bulk of the material dated 1960-1967. The collection documents both Ruby Doris Smith Robinson's and Mary Ann Smith Wilson's participation in the civil rights movement and the organizations with which they were affiliated. Although the collection documents both sisters' activities, the bulk of the collection reflects Ruby Doris Smith Robinson’s activism activities in the civil rights movement. Also included in the collection are photographs, correspondences, news articles, programs, reports, and flyers.

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.

For:
  • Decade = 1960-1969
  • Subjects = African American universities and colleges
Sign in sheet from an Atlanta Student movement meeting. 1 page.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
An identification card for the SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) fall conference. The conference was held from October 14th to 16th, 1960. The card asks for an individual's name, school affiliation, organization, home address, and workshop number. 1 page.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
This is a submitted statement from The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Immigration of the National Republican Convention. The written statement discusses the grievances against racial segregation and unequal treatment of African Americans. The statement petitioned the Republican party for legislative cooperation with SNCC and a civil rights political platform. Further, the statement lists Black voters' needs: education, employment, voting, and legal protection. A key figure mentioned is Marion S. Barry. 12 pages.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
This document contains the minutes and reports document from the first meeting of the Temporary Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from May 13-14, 1960, with Marion S. Berry, Jr. as the chairman and James Thomas as the secretary. The document offers the attendance and agenda, the statement of purpose for SNCC, committee reports,  and drafted press releases. Key figures mentioned: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Lonnie C. King, Ella Baker, and Marion S. Barry. 11 pages.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
This document for the student conference at Shaw University, explores the psychology behind non-violent resistance, comparing it to the principles of Jiu-jitsu. It describes how non-violence and goodwill can cause an attacker to lose moral balance and feel insecure. The victim's kindness, generosity, and voluntary suffering pull the attacker forward, further destabilizing them. The document emphasizes that violence exhausts the attacker, and the appeals of a non-violent resister appeal to their more decent and kindly motives, creating a conflict within the attacker's personality. The presence of onlookers further affects the attacker's poise and perception of their conduct. The document asserts that when conducted openly, non-violent resistance can garner public support and react against the attacker. It highlights the advantages of the non-violent resister, including moral initiative, self-control, conservation of energy, and sincerity, which is seen as a powerful force. The refusal to use violence is seen as a sign of respect for the assailant's personality and moral integrity. 3 pages.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
This is a schedule of the "Youth Leadership Conference On Nonviolent Resistance" held at Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina. The program shows a three-day conference. Student leaders and activists converged at Shaw University to discuss and organize committees for the student sit-in movement, topics of protesting and picketing, the philosophy of nonviolence, and the legal implications of sit-in protest with the risk of jail. 4 pages.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
This document presents six fundamental aspects of nonviolence as outlined by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It emphasizes that nonviolent resistance is not for cowards and requires active spiritual engagement. Nonviolence seeks to win the friendship and understanding of opponents rather than defeat or humiliate them. The focus is on combating forces of evil, not individuals perpetrating evil. Nonviolent resisters are willing to accept suffering without retaliation and believe in the redemptive power of unearned suffering. Internal violence of the spirit, such as hate, is rejected in favor of love as the guiding principle. Nonviolent resistance is based on the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice, instilling faith in a future of cosmic companionship and universal wholeness. 2 pages.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism
This document offers a firsthand account of the Dharasana Salt Satyagraha, where many volunteers in India protested against police regulations. Following Gandhi's principle of non-violence, the volunteers endured beatings without retaliating. The report emphasizes the discipline, determination, and refusal to disperse demonstrated by the volunteers, who viewed their injuries as martyrdom for the cause of Indian independence. The scenes witnessed were astonishing, defying the expectation of violence, and the reporter expresses feelings of disgust and emotional impact, having covered numerous civil disturbances and rebellions in the past.  2 pages.
Mary Ann Smith Wilson, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson Collection on Student Activism