CLIR Hidden Collections Grant Project

"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.

Above left:  Map of Atlanta public schools.  Right:  WAOK radio announcement.  Click to view full size images.

August 30 marks 50 years since nine black students transferred to white Atlanta high schools. The NAACP filed its first lawsuit, Calhoun v. Latimer, against the Atlanta public school system in 1958, four years after Brown v. Board of Education. In 1959, U.S. District Court Judge Frank Hooper declared Atlanta’s segregated public schools unconstitutional and ordered the system to file a desegregation plan by December 1959 to be implemented in 1960. If schools did not integrate, they would lose federal funding and be forced to close.

"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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:
August 16, 2011 Nicholyn Hutchinson
404-978-2114 / nhutchinson@auctr.edu

 
The Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library announces the opening of the Voter Education Project (VEP) Organizational Records. An Atlanta-based civil rights organization, the VEP was originally a branch of the Southern Regional Council.

By Amber L. Moore, Project Amistad, 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.

John Wesley Dobbs taught his daughters to never accept segregation unless it was absolutely necessary.  He forbade them from going to segregated theaters or amusement venues because it was "no pleasure to go in the back door."  He often worked numerous jobs to ensure he could provide for his daughters' education. All six daughters graduated from Spelman College, obtained master's degrees, and two earned their doctorates.

Above:  Left to Right, June Dobbs Butts, Millicent Dobbs Jordan, Mattiwilda Dobbs Janzon, Willie Dobbs Blackburn, Irene Dobbs Jackson, Josephine Dobbs Clement.  Click to see a full size image.

By Sarah Quigley, Project Archivist, 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.

Throughout its long history, The Southern Christian Leadership Conference used periodicals as a method of communicating with staff, affiliates, members and the general public.  By publishing newsletters, magazines and journals, SCLC was able to share information about itself and its activities.  Topics ranged from general updates, to news from efforts such as the Poor People's Campaign, to analysis of the ongoing Civil Rights Movement. 

By Cheryl Oestreicher, Project 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.

In 1972, Jondelle Johnson became the Executive Director of the NAACP Atlanta Branch. The organization was at a transitional moment, with the major civil rights actions of the 1960s over but new initiatives not yet defined. Known as “Mrs. NAACP,” her leadership in the 1970s and 1980s helped the Branch continue established committees and initiate new programs.

Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina on March 11, 1924. She graduated Allen University in 1945 with honors, with a major in psychology and a minor in education. She also did some graduate work in elementary education at both Atlanta and Emory Universities. She was married to Winfred Johnson with whom she had four children. She was a member of Wheat Street Baptist Church and later Solid Rock Miracle Temple.

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.

Amistad staff are pleased to announce that the guide for the John Wesley Dobbs Family papers is available online. John Wesley Dobbs, civil rights activist and patriarch of a prominent family in Atlanta, Georgia, fought for African American suffrage and integration. The father of six daughters, Dobbs insisted his children pursue excellence and stressed the importance of education and first class citizenship. He founded the Georgia Voters League (1935) and headed the Grand Lodge of Prince Hall Freemasons (1932-1961).

J.W. Dobbs and sister Willie, circa 1890. (Click to enlarge.)

by Michael R. Hall, Graduate Processing Assistant, 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.

In two previous dispatches from the audiovisual material of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) records, I have focused on "New Insights Into the Early Political and Philosophical Thought of Jesse L. Jackson" and "Civil Rights Activism and the Crisis in Health Care."  Both blog entries revealed the potential for new research offered by the substantial amount of audio source material in the SCLC collection.  In this third and final dispatch, I would like to discuss a few gems contained in the video sources in the collection.