Hidden Collections

By Cheryl Oestreicher, Project Archivist, Andrew J. Young Papers, Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

Elected in 1981 and serving two terms, Andrew Young’s time as mayor is known as “The Young Years” and according to Nehl Horton’s report of the same title, it was “nearly a decade of unprecedented social, cultural and economic progress which defines the City of Atlanta in the 1980s.” Young did not accomplish everything by himself, but the vision and opportunities he provided allowed his staff and residents to develop culture, education, employment, housing, facilities, travel, and tourism in Atlanta.

By Amber L. Moore, Project Archivist, Amistad Research Center

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

Processing an individual’s personal papers can bring to light interesting, and often little known, aspects about that person’s life and work.  Recent work on the Marr-McGee Family Papers has revealed a file of materials related to the now infamous Peoples Temple, the organization founded by Jim Jones in the 1950s and the center of a mass-suicide in Guyana, South America, in 1978.  The documents and photographs provide a look at how the Temple viewed itself and was viewed by others as supporting civil rights.

By Michael R. Hall, Graduate Processing Assistant, Southern Christian Leadership Conference records, MARBL

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

The SCLC collection has proven to be very rich in audio visual material revealing not only the diverse programs and events in which the organization participated, but also the early development of political and philosophical thought of some of its most recognizable figures.  Among the cassette tapes, vinyl records, reel to reels, VHS and DVDs, one can find recordings of panel discussions and speeches at National Conventions, demonstrations like the March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, involvement in national and international policy issues like health care, and public speaking engagements and programming.  In a series of three blog posts, I would like to note gems which I have come across while processing the collection’s audio visual material and illustrate the potential for new research and study which such sources offer. 

by Brenda Tindal, Graduate Processing Assistant, Auburn Avenue Research Library and MARBL Woodruff Fellow

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

If the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” were of literal value, then, Andrew Young’s photograph collection far exceeds the American lexicon. Indeed, the Andrew J. Young, Jr. Papers at the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American History and Culture consists of thousands of photographs. This generous catalog of images captures the tender moments he shared with his family and friends, and it traces his illustrious career as clergyman, civil and human rights advocate, congressman, UN ambassador, Mayor of Atlanta, gubernatorial candidate, and businessman. While the task of processing a series of such breadth was a challenge, it was, nonetheless “an easy burden.”

By Laura J. Thomson, Director of Processing

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

Last month’s blog entry for the Amistad Research Center highlighted the collection of oral history interviews with Andrew Young in the Tom Dent Papers. The final processing of the entire audiovisual holdings in the Dent Papers and the posting of this information in the ">online finding aid has just been completed and the reality of the breath and scope of Dent’s pursuit of documenting the modern Civil Rights Movement has now been revealed. Thanks to the grant that Amistad received from the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Center’s creation of its online finding aid database is allowing the Center to reveal its rich, yet previously hidden holdings, on the Civil Rights Movement.

by Rebecca Sherman, Graduate Processing Assistant, Southern Christian Leaderhip Conference records, MARBL

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

SCLC began airing Martin Luther King Speaks, a weekly thirty minute radio program, in early 1967.  The program, which initially aired speeches and sermons by Martin Luther King, Jr., was an innovative expansion of SCLC’s public relations efforts.  Following the assassination of King in April 1968, SCLC continued to broadcast the program.  The leadership of SCLC used MLK Speaks as a platform for publicizing campaigns and direct action efforts, with Ralph David Abernathy, Andrew J. Young, and other staff members frequently appearing on the air. 

By Alison Hughes, Archival Assistant, Voter Education Project Collection, Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center

"Working for Freedom: Documenting Civil Rights Organizations" is a collaborative project between Emory University's Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, and The Robert W. Woodruff Library of Atlanta University Center to uncover and make available previously hidden collections documenting the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta and New Orleans. The project is administered by the Council on Library and Information Resources with funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Each organization regularly contributes blog posts about their progress.

John Lewis became a Civil Rights leader during his college days. As a student of Fisk University, Lewis organized his first sit-in in 1960. The next year Lewis became one of the first participants in the CORE sponsored Freedom Ride. He was one of the first to be attacked when the bus reached Rock Hill, SC and then again when he reached Montgomery, AL. When the bus arrived at in Jackson, Mississippi, Lewis was arrested and sent to Parchman State Penitentiary.