"They Died for Your Right to Vote"; "Black Women and the Vote", after 1981

The records of the AFL-CIO Southern Area Civil Rights Department, spanning 1964 to 1988, include correspondence, minutes, reports, writings, financial records, printed materials, clippings, membership cards, photographs, and artifacts that document the activities of the office's director, E.T. "Al" Kehrer, in facilitating the employment of minorities and women in the region. The records show that some of Kehrer's work related directly to job training, affirmative action, and equal opportunity complaints. Other materials document that many of his activities contributed to increasing cooperation among civil rights groups, unions, and government agencies. Kehrer also participated in a wide range of community, labor, and political organizations.

In addition to the manuscript materials contained in Series 1-8, a large amount of printed material is included in the collection. Six cubic feet of printed matter was reviewed and retained with the collection (listed in the addendum).