Did you know that Athens is home to the only archive in the state dedicated exclusively to documenting politics, policymaking, and public life? The Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies was established in 1974 and is one of three units with historical materials on display at the UGA Special Collections Libraries.
The library’s archives include approximately six hundred collections from across the state’s political landscape, including the papers of Georgia governors, a dozen U S senators, more than 30 U S House representatives, and the state’s Republican and Democratic parties. The Russell Library also preserves and shares more than two thousand oral history interviews with leading government officials, community leaders, and cultural figures.
In celebration of the Russell Library’s 50th anniversary, members of the community are invited to a pair of public events on October twenty second, featuring top political thought leaders on national security and international relations, including former U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, retired Major General Arnold L. Punaro, and internationally renowned UGA political science emeriti professors Gary Bertsch and Loch Johnson.
The exhibition “Precious, Almost Scared: Voting Rights in America,” which includes items from the Russell Library’s collections, will be on display throughout October.
The Special Collections Libraries Building is located on the University of Georgia campus in Athens and is open to visitors for free weekdays. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit libs.UGA.EDU/SCL.