The Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library is the proud home of the C.T. and Octavia Vivian papers. Emory University acquired the collection in 2014 and since that time, it has been a boon for scholars, students, and faculty researching the civil rights movement and its aftermath. A new exhibit, “Hello Darling”: The Life, Legacy, and Love of C.T. and Octavia Vivian, is on view in the Woodruff Library beginning February 8, 2025. It offers a peek into the individual activism and contributions of the Vivians and celebrates the gifts that emerged from their loving partnership.
C. T. Vivian, undated photo
C.T. and Octavia Vivian papers
For almost 60 years, C.T. (1924- 2020) and Octavia (1928-2011) Vivian were beacons, advocates, and cultural bearers for social justice, civility, and education. As civil rights activists, authors, and collectors, together they raised the consciousness of America through their focus on uplifting Black communities, promoting civility, and documenting Black life. The couple met in Peoria, Illinois, while engaged in their individual activism and would later move to Atlanta, Georgia, and become two of the most influential figures within the modern civil rights movement.
Dr. C.T. Vivian was a minister and leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with a special emphasis on voting and education program. He was a close confidante of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and in 1970 published “Black Power and the American Myth,” becoming the first of King’s staff colleagues to write a book on the civil rights movement. In 2013, Vivian was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
Octavia Vivian, undated photo
C.T. and Octavia Vivian papers
Mrs. Octavia Vivian was a community organizer who worked tirelessly to end segregation in public schools and increase voter registration in Atlanta. Much of her organizing work centered women and children, and in 1970 she authored “Coretta: The Story of Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” the first biography of Coretta Scott King.
The Vivians regaled in their love and were a source of support for one another in their many ventures. Together they raised a family and built a large collection of Black print culture collection featuring thousands of rare books in Black literature.
As evidenced by the exhibit and collection, the life, love, and legacy of C.T. and Octavia Vivian has inspired many. Rose Library invites visitors to learn more about the Vivians through their personal letters to one another, photographs of their family, handwritten drafts of their books and speeches, and the inscriptions in their rare book collections. The collection is open to the public by appointment.
—by Gabrielle M. Dudley, assistant director of public services, Rose Library