| Abbreviation | ANVL |
|---|---|
| Formation | July 7, 1949 |
| Dissolved | c. 1960s |
| Type | Non-governmental |
| Legal status | Organization |
| Purpose | Black suffrage |
| Location | |
Founders | A. T. Walden John Wesley Dobbs |
Co-chairs | John H. Calhoun Q. V. Williamson |
| Affiliations | NAACP National Urban League |
TheAtlanta Negro Voters League (ANVL) was an Americanbipartisannon-governmental organization. The organization was formed in 1949 by RepublicanA. T. Walden, and DemocratJohn Wesley Dobbs. The organization was created after thelynching of Robert Mallard. The organization’s goal was to increase the strength of theBlack vote; they did this by performingsit-ins onhistorically Black colleges and universities.
The organization was formed on July 7, 1949 inAtlanta, Georgia by Democratic lawyer and leader of theNAACP's Atlanta branch, A. T. Walden, and Republican leader of thePrince Hall Masons of Georgia and theFulton County Republican Club John Wesley Dobbs.[1][2] In its later years, the three founders were replaced byco-chairsJohn H. Calhoun, andQ. V. Williamson. Most of the founders were members of the middle class. The organization’s goal was to strengthen theBlack vote.[3][4] They did this by preventing the splitting of Black votes.[5] The group was formed after members of theKu Klux Klan lynched Robert Mallard, which happened because of Mallard's vote in the1948 Georgia gubernatorial special election.[6] The organization had affiliations with theNAACP and theNational Urban League.[7]
The organization had annual meetings at theBig Bethel AME Church.[8] These meetings were held to speak about civil rights in Atlanta.[9] They were also responsible for multipleAtlanta sit-ins, mainly ones inhistorically Black colleges and universities.[10]
The group was often criticized for catering to wealthier Black people who lived inSweet Auburn. Instead of allocating more funds to building public housing, they put their funds towards making golf courses and suburbs for middle class African Americans.[11]