SOUTHERN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT RECORDS
1985-2000
Archives of
E-mail: archives@etsu.edu
Telephone: (423) 439-4338
INTRODUCTION
Title: Southern Empowerment Project Records
Date: 1985-2000
Collection: Accession No. 450
Extent: 16 linear
feet (16 boxes, includes 15 video tapes)
Creator: Southern
Empowerment Project
Repository: Archives
of Appalachia,
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Provenance: The
first donation of the records of the Southern Empowerment Project was received
by the Archives of Appalachia on
Access: The records are open for research.
Language: English
Processing: Timothy Vasser completed processing and writing the finding aid for the Southern Empowerment Project Records in March 2006.
HISTORICAL NOTE
The Southern Empowerment Project (SEP) was created in September 1985 by the Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition and the Carolina Community Project. The program was designed to provide organizational training to interns, mainly from member organizations, and to organize local and regional interest groups. The organizational membership consisted of the Charlotte Organizing Project (CHOP), Citizens Organized to End Poverty in the Commonwealth (CO-EPIC), Community Farm Alliance (CFA), Just Organized Neighborhoods Area Headquarters (JONAH), Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC), North Carolina A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI), Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM), and Solutions to Issues of Concern to Knoxvillians.
The SEP is a consortium of grassroots organizations that focuses on poverty, environmental issues, voter registration and participation, community organization, political empowerment, health care, job creation, education, class advancement, leadership development at the local level, organizational development, gender equality, women’s rights, civil rights, and neighborhood development. Four of the main objectives of the SEP are: to increase the power of low income Southerners to allow them to deal with issues affecting them; to strengthen local organizations through cooperation and resource sharing; to work cooperatively within states and across state lines on common issues; and to create institutional change and accountability within the region.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The Southern Empowerment Project Records contain minutes of Board meetings, correspondence, intern information, committee minutes, training materials, and subject materials. Subjects include community organization, racial equality, land reform, tax reform, water and resources protection, economic development, and political empowerment. The records show how a grassroots organization functions, deals with adversity, raises funds, and recruits individuals to work within that organization.
ACCESS POINTS
Campaign for Human Development
Center for Community Change
Citizens Organized to End Poverty in the Commonwealth
Commission on Religion in
Community Farm
Community Organization–Southern States
Equality–Southern States
Jewish Fund for Justice (
Just Organized Neighborhoods Area Headquarters
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Occupational Training–Southern States
Political Participation–Southern States
Poor–Southern States
Save Our
Solutions to Issues of Concern to Knoxvillians
Suffrage–Southern States
ARRANGEMENT
The records consist of four series: Series I, Office Files, 1985-2000; Series II, Publications: Grassroots Organizations; Series III, Books; Series IV, Video Tapes.
Series I, Office
Files, 1985-2000, Boxes 1-12.
Series I includes subject files that are arranged in alphabetical order. File headings were changed only when original headings were not clear. These subject files help to explain the function and purpose of the Southern Empowerment Project. The subject files include the different organizations that were affiliated with SEP, the training courses they conducted, the proposals they submitted to various organizations, and information on how they recruited new organizations. Files include: correspondence, equipment purchases, long-range planning, member lists, and work-plan reports.
Series II,
Publications: Grassroots Organizations,
Series II includes pamphlets and training manuals SEP used
to teach leadership, fundraising, and organizational development. Most of these
manuals were used by students and trainers. Many of the publications are from grassroots
organizations located in the eastern
Series III,
Books, Box 15.
Series III consists of books, such as, Getting To Work: An Organizer’s Guide to Transportation Equity;
Fundraising for Social Change; How to Manage Conflict; and Organizing: A Guide for Grassroots Leaders.
These books are listed in alphabetical order. They were used by trainers to
teach techniques for organizing a grassroots organization. The SEP held training
workshops throughout the southern
Series IV, Video Tapes, Box 16.
Series IV consists of video tapes. Included are Southern Empowerment Project productions as well as commercial videos.
Series I,
Office Files, 1985-2000, Box 1-12.
2. Administration, Workshops, Others
3. Advanced
Organizer Training,
4. Alumni Association
5. Alumni Follow Up, 1987-1991
6. Anniversary, Southern Empowerment Project 10th
7. Annual Reports and News Articles
8. Annual Reports and Others
9. Appalachian Community Fund, 1987-1990
10. Applicants Follow Up File
11. Applications, 1997
12. Applications, 2000
13. A.S.A.P.,
Families
14. Aspen Proposal
15. Authorization Forms
16. Black History
17. Board of
Directors, Agendas and Minutes,
18. Board of Directors, Agendas and Minutes, 1989-March 1993
19. Board of Directors, Agendas and Minutes, 1990-1994
20. Board of Directors, List and Board Information (SEP Trainees)
21. Board of Directors, Meeting Sites Visited, February 1985-April 21, 1990
22. Board of Directors, Meetings and Correspondence, 1988-1989
23. Board of
Directors, Meetings and Correspondence,
24. Board of Directors, Reservation Agreement Forms
25. Campaign for Human Development, Local
26. Campaign for Human Development, National
27. Campaign for Human Development, Pre-Application, 1986
28. Campaign for Human Development, Proposal, 1986
29. Campaign for Human Development, Proposal, 1988
30. Campaign for Human Development, Proposal, 1990
1. Campaign for Human Development, Proposals, 1991-1993
2. Campaign for Human Development, 1997
3. Campaign for Human Development, Quarterly Reports, 1987-88
4. Campaign
for Human Development, Quarterly Reports,
5. Catholic Committee of the South
6. Center
for Community Change,
7. Charge Card Information
8. Charge Card Receipts
9. Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
10. Charlotte Meeting, April 20-21, 1990
11. Coal Employment Project
12. Commission
on Religion in
13. Commission
on Religion in
14. Commission
on Religion in
15. Commission
on Religion in
16. Committees, 1987-1988
17. Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)
18. Computer Information
19. Contracts, 1992-1993
20. Contracts Re: Technical Supplies, Controls
21. Cooperative Coordinating Committee
22. Correspondence
23. Correspondence, 1987
24. Correspondence, 1988
25. Correspondence, 1989
26. Correspondence, 1990
27. Correspondence, 1991
28. Correspondence, 1992
29. Correspondence, 1993
30. Correspondence, Campaign for Human Development, 1987-1990
1. Correspondence, Funding
2. Correspondence, Fundraising
3. Correspondence, Incoming, 1987-1989
4. Correspondence,
Incoming,
5. Correspondence,
Memos,
6. Correspondence, Other
7. Correspondence, Outgoing
8. Correspondence, Pre-1992 Member Group, 1987-1991 (A)
9. Correspondence, Pre-1992 Member Group, 1987-1991 (B)
10. Correspondence, SEP Member Group, 1989-1993
11. Correspondence,
Southern Tenant Farmers
12. Correspondence,
13. Curriculum, 1987-1988 (A)
14. Curriculum, 1987-1988 (B)
15. Curriculum Committee
16. Curriculum
Committee,
17. Curriculum Committee, 1994-1996
18. Don Manning Miller
19. Donors, 1989
20. Early
Meetings,
21. Economic
Development for Women of
22. Equipment Purchased Receipts
23. Evaluations, 1987-1988
24. Evaluations, 1992
25. Evaluations, 1993
26. Evaluations,
Fundraising
27. Evaluations of 1991 Leadership Gathering, April 5-7, 1991
28. Evangelical
Lutheran Coalition for
29. Expense Statements of Interns
30. Facilitation Workshop Materials
31. Fair Tax
32. Field
Placements,
1. Field
Placements,
2. Field Placement, 1993, Agreement, Evaluations, Planning Forms
3. Field Placement, 1993, Expenses, Stipends, and Receipts
4. Field Placement, Correspondence, Evaluations, 1993 and 1994
5. Field Placement, 1994
6. Field Placement, 1996-1997
7. Field Placement, 1998
8. Finance Committee
9. Finance Committee, 1989
10. Finance
Committee,
11. Financial Reports, 1987-1989
12. FIST
(Fundraising
13. FIST, 1997-1998
14. Flyer Materials
15. Forms (no longer in use), 1987-1988 and undated
16. Forms, Fax
17. Foundation Information
18. Funder’s Tour, 1990
19. Funder’s Tour, 1994
20. Funding Proposals, 1988-1992 (A)
21. Funding Proposals, 1988-1992 (B)
22. Fundraising, (In-Kind Service)
23. Fundraising, (Other Foundation)
24. Fundraising Committee
25. Fundraising Committee, (Board), 1993
26. Fundraising
Correspondence,
27. Fundraising Literature, 1997, Organizing
28. Fundraising Material
29. Fundraising Projects
30. Fundraising Resources I
31. Fundraising Resources II
32.
33. Fundraising Strategy
34. Fundraising Strategy, Dead File, Archives
35. Future Search
1. Future Search, 1998
2. Global
Ministries, United
3. Grassroots Assembly
4. Gulfside
5. Historical Documents
6. History Booklet
7. Institute for Community Resources and Public Policy, 1991 and undated
8. Intern Information, 1987
9. Intern
Information,
10. Internal Revenue Service Tax Exemption (501-C-3), 1987-1988
11. Internet Payments
12. Interns Applications, 1991
13. Interns List, Field Placement, 1992
14. Interviews by SEP
15. Jewish Fund
for Justice,
16. Job Bank Circulars, March 11-May 14, 1994
17. Johns
18. Kellogg Financial,1991; SEP Grant, 1995
19. Kellogg Grant Proposal, 2nd, 1991-1992
20. Kellogg Grant Reports, 1999
21. Kellogg Proposal
22. Leadership Conference
23. Leadership Development
24. Leadership Gathering, 1989, General Proposal
25. Leadership Gathering, 1989 (A)
26. Leadership Gathering, 1989 (B)
27. Leadership Gathering, 1991 (A)
28. Leadership Gathering, 1991 (B)
29. Leadership Gathering, 1992
30. Leadership Gathering, 1993
1. Leadership Gathering, 1995
2. Leadership Gathering, 1997
3. Leadership Gathering, 2000
4. Leadership Gathering, #3
5. Leadership Gathering, #3 Lesson Plans
6. Leadership Gathering, Lesson Plans, 1989-1991
7. Legislative Information
8. Lesson Plans, 1987-1988
9. Lesson Plans, 1989
10. Lesson Plans, 1990
11. Lesson Plans, 1991
12. Lesson Plans, 1997
13. Lesson Plans, extra
14. Literature Clippings
15. Logistics
16. Logistics for 1996; Training, Evaluations, 1997
17.
18.
19. Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation Conference, 1998
20. Maternal Infant Health Outreach Worker (MIHOW)
21. Mecklenberg Voters Coalition
22. Media, Flyer, Newsletter
23. Media and News Clippings, 1991-1994 and undated
24. Media List
25. Meeting Places (A)
26. Meeting Places (B)
1. Member Group Bd. Information
2. Member List
3. Memo, Vacation, Sick Days, Comp Time, Growth-Leave
4. Minister’s Retreat
5. Miscellaneous, 1988-1991
6. Miscellaneous Files
7. Miscellaneous Memo from June
8. National
Organizers
9. NOA File
10. NOA Pension Plan
11. NOA Steering Committee
12. New Members
13. News
14. News Clippings
15. Newspaper Articles
16. Nominating Committee
17. Nominating
Committees,
18. (National Network of Grant writers) NNG, Subcontract, Fundraising Strategy
19. Office Memos
20.
21. Organizer’s Survey
22. Organizer Training, 1988-1989
23. Organizer Training, 1990
24. Organizer Training, 1991
25. Organizer Training, 1992
26. Organizer Training, 1995
27. Organizer Training, 1998
28. Organizing CO-OP FRED (Cooperative Funder Recruitment Education and Design)
29. Organizing Culture Committee
30. Organizational Development Gathering, 1998
31. Organizations, Other
32. Orientation Packet, 1993
33. Overseas Development Network, 1988
1. People 1st Organization
2. Personnel
3. Personnel
Committee,
4. Personnel
Committee,
5. Personnel
Committee,
6. Personnel
Committee,
7. Personnel Policy
8. Petty Cash Reimbursements
9. Preliminary Discussions
10. Presbyterian Hunger Program
11. Printing Brochure
12. Project Profile Questionnaire, 1986-1987
13. Proposals, Submitted,
14. Quarterly and Six Months Reports, 1991-1994
15. Racism
16. Racism Survey
17. Recruiting
18. Recruitment, 1991-1994
19. Recruitment, 1993
20. Recruitment, 1994
21. Recruitment, Future Workshops, 1993
22. Recruitment, Individual and Organization Name
23. Recruitment Correspondence, Membership
24. Recruitment Information, Subscription
25. Recruitment Materials
1. Recruitment and Contracts, 1997
2. Recruitment and Membership
3. Recruitment
and Membership Committee,
4. Recruitment and Membership Committee, 1991- 1997
5. Reimbursements Receipts
6. Rental Information
7. Reports, 6 Months and Quarterly, 1991-1995
8. Resource Materials
9. ROC
10. Save Our
11. Selection,
12. Selection, Orientation, 1991
13. Selection Committee
14. Selection Weekend, June 9-11, 1989
15. Service
Employees International
16.
17. South
18. Southern Empowerment Project (A)
19. Southern Empowerment Project (B)
20. Southern Empowerment Project, Board Meetings, Financial Statements 1998-2001
21. Southern Empowerment Project Workshops
22. Southern Human Rights Organizing Conference
23. Southern Organizing Cooperative, Governing Body Gathering, 1993
1. Staff
Meeting,
2. Staff Meeting, 1998
3. Staff of Member Groups Retreat
4. Staff Retreat with Center for Community Change
5. Sub-Lease Agreement
6. Surveys
7. Tax Exempt Number Authorization Letter
8. Tax Reform
9. Telephone Bills
10. Third Force Magazine
11. Timesheets
12. Time Sheets, 1993-1996
13. Time Sheets, 1997-2000
14. Time Sheets, 2001
15. Trainer Materials, Handouts 1993
16. Trainer’s Evaluation Forms and Other Forms
17. Training,
Center for
18. Training, Maps
19. Training, One Day
20. Training, One Day, HUB
21. Training, Organization
22. Training, Organizing Materials (Manual and Others)
23. Training, Raleigh/Durham HUB
24. Training, Role Play and Exercises
25. Training, SEP Orientation Materials
26. Training Contacts, 1993
27. Training Contacts, 1995
1. Training Contacts, 1996
2. Training Facilities and Locations
3. Training for Trainers, November 1988-November 1989
4. Training Hand Outs (A)
5. Training Hand Outs (B)
6. Training Information
7. Training Information,1999
8. Training Materials
9. Training Program, 1987
10. Training Program, 1988
11. Training Program, 1991-1992
12. Training Program and Curriculum, 1993
13. Training Programs, 1987-July 13, 1990
14. Training Programs, 1987-1988
15. Training Schedule and Information, Application
16. Training Schedule and Information, Application Forms
17. Training Schedule and Map Site, 1992
18. Training Schedule and Map Site, 1993
19. Training Schedule and Map Site, 1994
20. Training Schedule, 1997
21. Training School, Summer 2000
22. Training School, 2001
23. Training
School,
24. Travel and Other Expenses
25. Twelve Months Reports, Others
26. User Defined Reports
27. Using Training for Leaders, November 1989
28. Using Training for Leaders, November 1990
29. Using Training for Leaders, February 1-3, 1991
30. Using Training for Leaders, February 1993
31. Using Training for Leaders, 1995
32. Using Training in Organizing
33. Using Training in Organizing, SEP
34. Veatch Program, 1988-1993
35. Voter Registration and Participation, Turnout and Labor
36. Weekly Reports, July 1990, January 3-November 20, 1992
37. Welfare Reform
1. Work Plans and Reports
2. Worker’s Compensation
3. Working Assets, Credit Card,