SOC. Social Activism

 Record Group
Identifier: SOC
Thanks to its Divinity School, Vanderbilt has long been home to leaders in social justice activism, and Special Collections has collected related materials since the 1990s. This subject area includes collections related to groups that have been historically overlooked, maligned, and/or oppressed; and to advocacy efforts for creating social change. Emphases include Civil Rights, disability rights, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, and workers’ rights, but all collections portraying the impact of an unjust society and/or attempts to improve conditions for certain groups will be considered. Highlights include the Rev. James M. Lawson, Jr., Papers, the Mary Anne Smith Papers, and the Ron Sanford Papers.

Found in 70 Collections and/or Records:

Alex Hurder Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.0932
Abstract

This collection contains the papers of Alex Hurder, professor of Law at Vanderbilt University, specializing in disability law.

Dates: 1991 - 2018

MAT Trotter LGBTQ T-Shirt Collection

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 30081048752897]
Identifier: MSS.0985
Abstract

The MAT Trotter LGBTQ T-Shirt Collection contains shirts from gay pride events and AIDS fundraisers, mostly from the Nashville, Tennessee area.

Dates: 1977-1996

David Grieve Patent Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1005
Abstract

This collection contains a patent from 1797 for David Grieve for an invention in looms. The patent is signed by President John Adams, Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, and Attorney General Charles Lee.

Dates: 1797

Ecology Action Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1122
Abstract

The Ecology Action Collection consists of a newsprint board game by Ecology Action from the early environmental movement of the 1970s.

Dates: 1970s

Dennis Dickerson Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1131
Abstract

The Dennis Dickerson Papers, 1970-2024, consist of the correspondence, course files, and drafts of historian Dennis Dickerson.

Dates: 1970 - 2024

Ron Sanford Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1091
Content Description

Photographs, costumes, hair wigs, documents, and other three-dimensional artifacts related to Ron Sanford's career and personal life involved with drag queen productions and pageants as well as living as an openly gay man in Nashville and other areas of the country.

Dates: 1972-2023

Middle Tennessee LGBTQ Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1093
Abstract

The Middle Tennessee LGBTQ Collection, 1977-2023, consists of artifacts, paper documents, publications, and photographs collected at local events or purchased by Sarah Calise, LGBTQ historian and founder of Nashville Queer History, or items purchased by Vanderbilt Special Collections and University Archives.

Dates: 1977 - 2023

Southern LGBTQ Periodicals Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1155
Abstract

The Southern LGBTQ Periodicals Collection, 1977-1991, consists of newspapers, magazines and other regularly published titles in the Southern United States or periodicals featuring prominent stories of Southern places.

Dates: 1977-1991

Aleshia Brevard Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1156

One Small Step Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1166
Abstract

The One Small Step Collection, 2025, consists of One Small Step podcasts recorded at Vanderbilt University.

Dates: 2025

Tommie Morton-Young Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS.1135

About this Site

This site contains collection guides, or finding aids, to the archival collections held by Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives, the History of Medicine Collection, and the Scarritt Bennett Center. Finding aids describe the context, arrangement, and structure of archival materials, allowing users to identify and request materials relevant to their research.

Requesting Materials

Each finding aid contains a link to request materials from the collections. Collections can also be requested by emailing the repository directly through the library website. Each repository has its own location, hours, and contact information. Please consult the repository with questions about using the materials. Collections are non-circulating and must be used in the repository’s reading room. In many cases, the collections are stored off-site and require advance notice for retrieval.