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AAS 385W Voting Rights & Voter Suppression (Main)

A Guide for Student Researchers

A Guide to Learning in Rose Library

Student Researchers

The Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (Rose Library) is located on the 10th floor of the Robert W. Woodruff Library at Emory University. The collections in Rose Library do not circulate so you have the opportunity to consult your chosen collections in the reading room though it is available by appointment only. You must have an appointment to enter the reading room. 

The  reading room is available by appointment only. You must have an appointment to enter the reading room. You must have completed the registration process to receive clearance to return to campus in compliance with the Return to Campus Guidelines. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Rose Library our hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 am -12 pm; 1 pm - 3 pm. For more information on using the reading room, please visit http://rose.library.emory.edu/index.html. 

The materials in Rose Library are rare, often fragile, and often very valuable. Therefore, when you come to do research, you will be asked to show proof of your identity, to keep a record of what you use, and you will have guidelines for how to use the materials during your visit.

It may seem like there are a lot of rules associated with doing research in Rose Library, but remember that we want you to use our materials and we’re glad that you are doing so. Our rules are in place to protect our materials and to make sure they are preserved for many future generations of students and researchers to explore. If you have any questions about a policy, please feel free to ask us for more information.

Registering to Use Rose Library

We require that you register upon your first visit and request materials in advance of all visits through Emory University's Special Collections Request System. This system asks you to sign in with your Emory NetID and will then be able to use this online account to place requests, view past requests, and place photoduplication orders.

To begin the registration process, please visit the Special Collections Request System login page. Once you have registered with the Special Collections Request System, you can simply login going forward to view information about your account.

Video tutorials of the request processes are available:

Sources on Voting Rights & Voter Suppression

Rose Library has a number of collections related to the voting rights and voter suppression that you may want to use for your project. While you may choose to use digitized archival collection, if you are able to visit Rose Library in person, you are highly encouraged to do so. 

If you are interested in gaining remote access to any of these collections (or other pertinent to your topic), please contact Gabrielle M. Dudley, Instruction Archivist at gabrielle.dudley@emory.edu. You will need to provide the collection name, box number, folder number for the materials you would like to have scanned. It will also be helpful to attach a copy of your research proposal. The items will be shared to you via a Box folder and will be scheduled for deletion on December 15, 2020. The estimated turnaround time is around 5 business days though the actual time will be communicated based on the size of your request. 

Collections of Interest:

  • Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), is a nonsectarian, interfaith, advocacy organization committed to nonviolent action to achieve social, economic, and political justice. Topics of interest include: 
    • Get Out the Vote Tours, nationwide, 1970s
    • Voter Education Project
    • Pilgrimage to Washington for Voting Rights, Peace, Economic Justice
    • Voter registration materials
    • Voter rights education and workshop materials 
    • Voting Rights Act materials 
    • National Coalition on Black Voter Participation materials
    • National Coalition to Extend the Voting Rights Act and Free Maggie Bozeman and Julia Wilder
    • Voter suppression, nationwide
    • Citizenship Education Program records
    • Photographs and audiovisual materials 
    • Voting ephemera including flyers, buttons, banners, and bumper stickers 
  • Penny Patch, civil rights activist Penny Patch documenting her work with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
    • SNCC voter education acivities, Mississippi and other Southern states
  • Frances Freeborn Pauley, Georgia human rights and civil rights activits
    • Georgia chapter, League of Women Voters activities 
    • Integration of Georgia chapter, League of Women Voters activities 
  • Elaine Brown, civil rights activist and prominent member of the Black Panther Party
    • Campaign materials, Mayor of Brunswick, Georgia campaign
    • Voter lists and registrations, 2004-2005
  • League of Women Voters of Dekalb County (Dekalb County, Georgia), 
    • Correspondence
    • Financial records 
    • Annual reports 
    • Printed materials 
  • Paul Good audio recordings, audiovisual interviews conducted by journalist for ABC News 
    • Audio recordings of voting activities in Mississippi
  • C.T. and Octavia Vivian - civil rights activists and minister
    • Binders, civil rights activities 
    • Photographs, voter education registration rallies
  • Newsweek Atlanta Bureau - Atlanta office of Newsweek magazine
    • Collected materials re:voting across Southeast
  • Calvin Craig - White supremacist and Grand Dragon of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
    • Materials suppressing the Black vote