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League of Women Voters of Atlanta-Fulton County Records

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.MSS394

Scope and Contents of the Records

Through correspondence, minutes, newspaper clippings, publications and printed material, the collection documents the activities the League of Women Voters of Atlanta-Fulton County and its relationships to national and state leagues, from 1917-1982. Subject files, the bulk of the collection, document the efforts of the group to promote political participation among the citizens of Atlanta and covers topics ranging from segregation to juvenile delinquency, as well as various city ordinances. Publications and printed material derive mainly from the national (“Action,” “The National Voter”), state (“The Pilgrim,” “Georgia Voter”), and city and county leagues (“Facts,” “Memo,” “The New Citizen,” “Newsletter,” and “Up-to-the-Minute”), but also includes conservative publications, such as “Human Events.”

Dates

  • 1917 – 1982

Creator

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open for research.

Restrictions on Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted through the Kenan Research Center.

Administrative History

The League of Women Voters of Atlanta- Fulton County, formerly the Atlanta League of Women Voters, is an affiliate of the national League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization rooted in the woman’s suffrage movement. Originally known as the Central Committee of Women Citizens, the Atlanta organization, Atlanta League of Women Voters, founded by Eleonore Raoul, predates the formation of the national League of Women Voters in 1920, and consisted of white middle-class women, including Raoul, who were active in local woman suffrage associations, among them the Equal Suffrage Party of Georgia, organized by Atlanta native Emily C. MacDougald. For decades the League of Women Voters of Atlanta –Fulton County has advocated for citizen participation in political activities and worked to shape public policy on a number of issues ranging from public education to the environment. In the 1920’s, the Atlanta League began publishing a monthly bulletin, “Facts,” which provided information pertaining to candidates, elections, issues, and voter registration. Among its other activities, the Atlanta League recommended merging city and county governments during the 1930s. Later, in 1956, the local League split when membership rules were passed that precluded restrictions based on race. In 1964, the name was changed to the League of Women Voters of Atlanta/Fulton County. In accordance with the general objectives of the national association, the Atlanta-Fulton branch continues to establish positions of public policy through membership consensus, to increase citizen participation in the election process, and to enhance citizen participation in government decisions at the local, state, and national level. The organization is comprised of a board of directors, committees, task forces, local units, as well as individual members, all of whom are encouraged to be politically active.

Extent

2.51 linear ft.

Language

English

Arrangement of the Papers

This collection is arranged in alphabetical order first by subject files followed by publications and printed material.

Acquisition Information

Gift, League of Women Voters through Penny Raney, 1979 (1979.286)

General Physical Description note

Extent: 2.51 linear ft. (12 document cases)

Processing Information

Collection reprocessed in 2008

Title
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ATLANTA-FULTON COUNTY RECORDS ahc.MSS 394
Subtitle
An Inventory of Their Records at the Kenan Research Center of the Atlanta History Center
Author
Inventory prepared by Wesley Chenault
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040