After World War I, the South experienced violent and painful race riots spawned by the unequal treatment of black servicemen returning from the war. The moderate Commission on Interracial Cooperation, whose papers are included elsewhere in this catalog, was established to promote peaceful race relations.

In 1942 America was again in the midst of a global conflict both in Europe and in Japan, and many CIC members recognized that there could be bloodshed again when black servicemen returned home and received unequal treatment. In addition, both black and white CIC leaders felt that the time had come to broaden the commitment of their organization and to push harder for civil rights for African-Americans in all arenas of society. Thus, in 1944, the CIC disbanded, and the Southern Regional Council (SRC) was formed.

The scope of the collection includes correspondence, internal records, reports, project files, pamphlets, newsletters, and information on many related civil rights organizations. Through these materials, scholars can gain valuable insight into the SRC's strategies and ideologies as it developed a broader philosophy and fought for significant changes within the social, economic, and political systems of the South.

Students and researchers can access the papers of the SRC to assist in their examination of topics in African-American studies, American history, political science, and civil rights. This microfilm collection provides a valuable primary research tool for such topics as:

• examining the new directions the SRC took over those of its parent organization, the CIC
• comparing the SRC's activities in areas such as integration and voting rights with those of other civil rights organizations
• the SRC's active work with the federal government to enact legislation in the civil rights arena
• the SRC's involvement and cooperation with other civil rights organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Urban League, the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE), and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
• the SRC's active involvement with the Freedom Rides and voter registration drives sponsored by CORE

Filmed from the archives at Atlanta University, this collection represents yet another vital link in ongoing studies of the 20th-century civil rights movements in America.

See also: Association of Southern Women for the Prevention of Lynching and Commission on Interracial Cooperation.