Joan O. King papers

Collection

Identifier: Y003

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Contents of the Papers

The Joan King papers, 1950-2009 [bulk 1980-2009], are comprised of correspondence and printed material such as fact sheets and articles on the nuclear power industry. Much of the collection contains articles and letters written by Mrs. King regarding the hazardous nature of the nuclear industry, including reactors, radioactive material, and nuclear repository sites such as Yucca Mountain.

Dates

Creation: 1945-2010
Creation: Majority of material found within 1980 - 2009

Creator

King, Joan O. (Joan Olcott), 1932-2020 (Person)

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open for research use.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.

Biography of Joan O. King

Joan Olcott King was born in New Jersey in 1932, attended high school in her hometown of Millburn, and went on to Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. She came to Atlanta in 1954 to work for Delta Airlines as a flight attendant, and in 1955 she married Edward Lewis King. They built a home in the Buckhead area, and there they raised three children, Susan, Virginia, and Clayton King. When the children were in school, Joan decided to finish her own education. She enrolled at Georgia State University and eventually graduated with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology. By this time, she had developed a life long love of learning. She stayed in school taking classes in art, dance, psychology and media, and even spent a year at Georgia Baptist Hospital taking nursing classes. During this time she also began her long career as a social activist. She worked with the homeless at the St. Luke's Episcopal Church in downtown Atlanta and volunteered her time to a number of other projects. She was on the State Boards of the League of Women Voters and Common Cause. She was a national board member of 20/20 Vision, a group that later became CREDO Action. She also began writing political articles. She has been published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and for the last 12 years has been a bimonthly columnist for The Gainesville Times.

Many of her articles and columns have been about nuclear power and the dangers associated with nuclear technology. Ms. King has gained expertise on the subject through conferences and training sessions sponsored by various organizations including the Institute for Energy and Research and the Department of Energy. She is presently on the board of Nuclear Watch South. Joan King lived in North Georgia with her husband and her grandchild, Anna Scott King until her death in 2020.

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet (in 3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract:

Joan Olcott King (born 1932 in New Jersey) came to Atlanta in 1954 to work for Delta Airlines as a flight attendant. She married and settled in the area, eventually becoming a social activist and serving on the board of Nuclear Watch South. Her papers, 1950-2009 [bulk 1980-2009], are comprised of correspondence, fact sheets, articles, letters and general information on the industry of nuclear power.