Auburn Avenue Research Library

BY: Michael Kaiser, Graduate Student Processing Assistant, Auburn Avenue Research Library

"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 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is best known for using the courts to overturn Jim Crow statutes.  However, the organization pursued a wide-range of goals reflected in the NAACP Atlanta Branch Records.  Of its many standing committees, Political Action constitutes one of its most interesting.  The goals of the Political Action Committee focused on voter registration, the enactment and repeal of pertinent legislation, and other major political issues affecting African Americans in Atlanta and across the world.

By Cheryl Oestreicher, Projet Archivist, 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.

The NAACP Atlanta Branch relied on members and their contributions to sustain their organization and programs. Strong membership shows support as well as need for the organization.

There are two main types of membership: adult and youth. Both of those could be with or without a subscription to The Crisis. Throughout its history, the organization experimented with various other types of memberships, including Lifetime, Thousandaire Club, student, and others. The  organization also targeted certain groups, such as students, ministers, and beauticians to increase their membership.

By Cheryl Oestreicher, Project Archivist, NAACP Atlanta Brach records, Auburn Avenue Research Library

"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.

Chartered in 1917, the NAACP Atlanta Branch started under the leadership of James Weldon Johnson, Harry Pace, Dr. Charles Johnson, Dr. Louis Wright, and Walter White. The collection spans the 1950s through the 1990s, with the bulk of it from when Jondelle Johnson was Executive Director in the 1970s and 1980s. Presidents represented in the collection include Samuel W. Williams, C. Miles Smith, Lonnie King, and Julian Bond.

Above:  Voting brochure, 1974	Above:  Fair Share Agreement with Georgia Power, 1984

By Cheryl Oestreicher, Project Archivist, Auburn Avenue Research Library

"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 Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History is pleased to announce that the Andrew J. Young Papers are now open for research.

"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.

From the moment Andrew and Jean Young moved to Atlanta in 1961, they made it their home. For decades, they dedicated much of their time and lives to improving the lives of the people and the city itself.

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 Cheryl Oestreicher, Project Archivist, Auburn Avenue Research Library

"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.

After winning the 1976 Presidential election, Jimmy Carter said he had one person in particular to thank – Andrew Young, and appointed him to United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Winning Senate approval with an 89-3 vote, on January 30, 1977, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall swore him into his new position. As Carter joked Young was the first Cabinet member to receive more applause then the President, Young became the highest ranked and, at times, the most controversial African-American in the country.