National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Atlanta Branch records
Scope and Contents note
The NAACP Atlanta Branch Records document the administration and committee work of the organization. The collection comes primarily from Jondelle Johnson’s tenure as Executive Director from 1972-1985 and her leadership with the Special Projects Committee in the 1990s. Presidents represented in the collection include Samuel W. Williams, C. Miles Smith, Lonnie King, and Julian Bond. The collection spans nearly 40 years and documents the Branch’s activities and initiatives through legislation, housing rights, employment rights and training, youth work, membership and fundraising, publicity, conventions, church work, community involvement, economic development, education, veterans, prisoners, and administrative functions.
The Records contain correspondence, reports, financial documents, brochures, fliers, posters, photographs, publications, articles, newsletters, press releases, meeting minutes and agendas.
Dates
- 1950-1998
Creator
Biographical/Historical note
The Atlanta Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), chartered in 1917, emerged as a pivotal force in the fight for civil rights in Georgia. Spearheaded by figures like James Weldon Johnson, Harry Pace, Dr. Charles Johnson, Dr. Louis Wright, and Walter White, the branch was instrumental in combating segregation and advancing racial equality.
During the 1950s and 1960s, it played a key role in desegregating Atlanta Public Schools and addressing discriminatory practices in golf courses, restaurants, transportation, and other businesses through lawsuits and petitions. Its initiatives spanned voter registration, housing and urban development, employment discrimination, education, job training, women and minority employment, police brutality, affirmative action, and legislative monitoring.
The branch also led lawsuits against institutions like the Atlanta and National Post Offices, MARTA, Fort McPherson, and Cox Communications, paving the way for minorities to attain on-air and high-level media positions. In its early years, it tackled educational disparities, campaigning against overcrowded "double sessions" in Black schools and advocating for higher grade levels in African American schools to ensure equitable opportunities.
Extent
135.0 Linear feet
Language
English
Arrangement note
The NAACP Atlanta Branch Records are arranged into 17 series, based upon the organization's committee structure: Series 1, Administrative; Series 2, Afro-American Cultural, Technical, and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO); Series 3, Church/Religious Affairs Committee; Series 4, Community Coordination Committee; Series 5, Economic Development/Fair Share Committee; Series 6, Education Committee; Series 7, Finance Committee; Series 8, Freedom Fund Committee; Series 9, Housing Committee; Series 10, Labor and Industry Committee; Series 11, Legal Redress Committee; Series 12, Membership Committee; Series 13, Press and Publicity/Public Relations/Media Committee; Series 14, Political Action Committee; Series 15, Prison Committee; Series 16, Veterans Committee; Series 17, Youth and College Division/Youth Council/Youth Work Committee.
Committee name changes are noted when applicable.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The NAACP Atlanta Branch Records were donated by Rose Palmer in 1998.
- Affirmative action programs -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- African American veterans--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans in mass media--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans in radio broadcasting--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans in television broadcasting--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Charities
- African Americans--Civil rights--Georgia--Atlanta.
- African Americans--Crimes against--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Economic conditions
- African Americans--Education--Georgia--Atlanta.
- African Americans--Employment--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Government policy--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Health and hygiene--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Housing--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Legal status, laws, etc.
- African Americans--Medical care--Georgia--Atlanta.
- African Americans--Segregation--Georgia--Atlanta
- African Americans--Social conditions
- African Americans--Societies, etc.
- African Americans--Suffrage--Georgia--Atlanta
- Anti-racism--Georgia--Atlanta
- Atlanta (Ga.)--Race relations.
- Atlanta (Ga.)--Social conditions--20th century
- Black power--Georgia--Atlanta
- Busing for school integration
- Civil rights movements--Georgia--Atlanta.
- Civil rights workers--Georgia--Atlanta
- Civil rights--Georgia--Atlanta.
- Community-based family services
- Criminal justice, Administration of--Georgia--Atlanta
- Discrimination in criminal justice administration--Georgia--Atlanta
- Discrimination in education--Georgia--Atlanta
- Discrimination in employment--Georgia--Atlanta.
- Discrimination in housing--Georgia--Atlanta
- Discrimination--Georgia--Atlanta
- Discrimination--Law and legislation--Georgia--Atlanta
- Equality before the law--Georgia--Atlanta
- Equality--Georgia--Atlanta
- Fund raising--Georgia--Atlanta
- Industrial mobilization--Georgia--Atlanta
- Inner cities--Georgia--Atlanta
- Labor--Georgia--Atlanta
- Mass media and race relations--Georgia--Atlanta
- Police brutality--Georgia--Atlanta
- Public housing--Georgia--Atlanta
- Public welfare--Georgia--Atlanta
- Race discrimination--Georgia--Atlanta.
- Race discrimination--Law and legislation--Georgia--Atlanta
- Race relations.
- Racism--Georgia.
- Reverse discrimination--Georgia--Atlanta
- School integration--Georgia--Atlanta
- Segregation in education--Georgia--Atlanta.
- Segregation in transportation--Georgia--Atlanta
- Segregation--Georgia--Atlanta
- Segregation--Law and legislation--Georgia--Atlanta
- Sentences (Criminal procedure)--Georgia--Atlanta
- Social service -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Suffrage -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- United States -- Armed Forces -- African Americans
- United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century
- Voter registration -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Title
- aarl98-007 aarl98-007 aarl98-007
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture and History Repository