King Library and Archives

The collection of the King Library and Archives consists of the papers of Dr. King and those of the organization that he co-founded, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The Archives also hold the records of nine major civil rights organizations and the records of several individuals active in the civil rights movement. In addition, the Archives include more than 200 oral history interviews with Dr. King’s teachers, friends, family, and civil rights associates. These holdings today serve as the main link to understanding the events of the civil rights movement. The King Library and Archives has played a crucial role in assuring the survival and preservation of many of the documents and artifacts of the civil rights movement through several documentation efforts.

Schedule & hours
(include information about annual closures)

Working language(s)
(what languages do you need, and what languages can you limp by on?)

Layout
(description of reading rooms, store rooms, etc)

Directions
(how to find the archive)

Description of holdings
(a more extensive description (qualitative and/or quantitative) of the holdings and the state in which they are kept)

History of the archive
(previous location(s) of collection held there, and any information that might help researchers to navigate previous systems)

Catalogues & finding aids
(describe any that exist, and give links to any that are online)

Future of the archive
(what direction is the archive going? what rumours have you heard?)

Access
(what permits, identity documents, or letters of reference do you need to present? how far in advance must you begin to register?)

First visit
(what happens when you first come to the archives?)

Permitted and prohibited items
(if possible, account for laptop computers, cameras, scanners, phones, pens and pencils, loose papers, and so on)
 * Permitted:
 * Prohibited:

Document ordering
(how do you request documents? how many can you order at a time?)

Ordering classified material
(what special permission is necessary?)

Document delivery
(how long does it take for documents to arrive? where are they delivered?  how many can you consult at a time?  what do you do when you are finished with an item?)

Photocopying, photography, microfilming
(what are costs, permits, and page limits? how long do you have to wait?)

Key forms
(what are the main forms that the archive uses? if possible, provide links to copies or post copies directly)

Archive staff
(people you've found particularly helpful; no invective)

Scholars
(scholars who are familiar with this archive)