Martin Luther King, Jr. Steering Committee Records (MC 295)
Organizational Note
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Steering Committee was begun in 1994 as a result of a conversation between the Rev. Tony Thompson (former pastor of the Shady Grove Baptist Church) and the Rev. James E. Swanson (former pastor of the St. Mary's Road United Methodist Church). They were seeking ways to broaden the celebration of the King holiday from being primarily observed in the African American community to include the entire community in a truly integrated celebration in Columbus, Georgia. The Steering Committee resulted, and included leaders of both the black and white communities. The early guiding principle was to involve those persons that were already involved in historic celebrations in the African American Community and then to add new events and to encourage the Columbus area community to think of other ways to celebrate its diversity and to push toward unity in the community.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of legal documents, meeting agendas and minutes, correspondence, events information, financial records, membership lists and a history of the organization written by Bishop James E. Swanson.
2001-2010 2 boxes (.66 l.f.)
Permission to Publish
Permission to publish material from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Steering Committee Records must be obtained from the Columbus State University Archives at Columbus State University. Use of the following credit line for publication or exhibit is required:
Martin Luther King, Jr. Steering Committee Records (MC 295) Columbus State University Archives Columbus, Georgia
Provenance
This collection was a gift of the Committee upon its dissolution in 2013.
Note to Researchers
See also:
African-American Historic Resources Survey (MC 39)
General Oral History Collection
Mayor's Commission on Diversity (MC 168)
Metro Columbus Urban League Collection (MC 87)
Muscogee County Retired Teachers Club (MC 142)
Muscogee County School District Desegregation Collection (MC 121)
One Columbus Collection (MC 282)
Merryll S. Penson Papers (MC 78)
Southern Black Oral History Project (MC 265)
Stanton, George - Muscogee County School Board Desegregation Collection (MC 95)
Box and Folder List
Box 1
- Folder 1 - Minutes & Agendas, 1994
- Folder 2 - Minutes & Agendas, 1995
- Folder 3 - Minutes & Agendas1996
- Folder 4 - Minutes & Agendas, 1997-1998
- Folder 5 - Minutes & Agendas, 2001-2005
- Folder 6 - Minutes & Agendas, 2006
- Folder 7 - Minutes & Agendas, 2007
- Folder 8 - Minutes & Agendas, 2008
- Folder 9 - Minutes & Agendas, 2009-2010
- Folder 10 - Correspondence, 2011-2012
- Folder 11 - Correspondence, 2001-2012
- Folder 12 - Dare to Dream, 2006-2013
- Folder 13 - Dissolution, 2013
- Folder 14 - Events, 2001-2012
Box 2
- Folder 7 - Finances, 2001-2010
- Folder 8 - Membership Lists, 2002, 2004, 2010
- Folder 9 - Miscellaneous, 2004-2010
- Folder 10 - MLK Month, 2002-2012
- Folder 11 - MLK Parade, 2005-2012
- Folder 12 - Thank-you notes and room requests, 2004-2012
- Folder 13 - MLK Vision and History, 2002-2012