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Foot Soldier for Equal Justice: Horace T. Ward and the Desegregation of the University of Georgia Collection
Descriptive Summary | |
| Title: Foot Soldier for Equal Justice: Horace T. Ward and the Desegregation of the University of Georgia Collection | |
| Creator: Daniels, Maurice | |
| Inclusive Dates: 1940s-2001 | |
| Language(s): English | |
| Extent: 5 box(es) (4.75 linear feet) | |
| Collection Number: RBRL072FSEJ | |
| Repository: Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies | |
| Abstract: Horace T. Ward: Desegregation of the University of Georgia, Civil Rights Advocacy, and Jurisprudence documents Horace Ward, the first African American to sue for admission to an all-white college or university in Georgia. The papers are mainly photocopies of transcripts from court cases, clippings, and correspondence from former University of Georgia law professor James J. Lenoir and Red and Black student editor Walter Lundy, both of whom resigned positions at the university due to the school's resistance to desegregation. Specific court cases documented include Ward v. Regents of the University System of Georgia and Holmes v. Danner. | |
Collection Description
Historical note
The Foot Soldier Project for Civil Rights Studies, a documentary and research program at The University of Georgia, is dedicated to chronicling Georgia's history in the civil rights movement. While Georgia is the home of numerous, nationally celebrated civil rights figures and events, many other Georgia trailblazers and significant events in the civil rights movement have been neglected or forgotten. The Foot Soldier Project focuses on these unsung foot soldiers, those individuals who, despite playing significant, powerful, and historic roles in the movement, remain largely obscure. It is crucial to recount the stories of these foot soldiers, for although their efforts have not been well documented or widely publicized, their courage and contributions have nevertheless transformed our nation.
The foundation for the project is Horace T. Ward: Desegregation of the University of Georgia, Civil Rights Advocacy, and Jurisprudence by University of Georgia social work professor Maurice Daniels, which focuses on the life of federal judge Horace T. Ward and tells the story of desegregation at the University of Georgia and in the University of Georgia System. Research from this book and the companion civil rights documentary, Foot Soldier for Equal Justice, yielded more than thirty rare interviews of civil rights figures and leading public officials from Georgia and around the country, including Ward and fellow federal judges Constance Baker Motley and William Bootle, attorneys Donald Hollowell and Vernon Jordan, Dr. Hamilton Earl Holmes, former U.S. senator Herman Talmadge, and former Georgia governor Ernest Vandiver.
Scope and Content
The papers relate to the Horace T. Ward documentary and book and are mainly photocopies of transcripts from court cases, clippings, and correspondence from former University of Georgia law professor James J. Lenoir and Red and Black student editor Walter Lundy, both of whom resigned positions at the university due to the school's resistance to desegregation. Specific court cases documented include Ward v. Regents of the University System of Georgia and Holmes v. Danner. The photograph series contains images collected during the research phases of the Ward and Holmes documentaries.
Organization and Arrangement
This collection is organized into three series: papers, photographs, and audiovisual materials (currently closed to research).
Administrative Information
Preferred citation
Foot Soldier for Equal Justice: Horace T. Ward and the Desegregation of the University of Georgia Collection, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641.
Copyright Information
Before material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permissions. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.
Finding Aid Publication
Finding aid prepared on: 2012.
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