The Vine City Project, also known as the Atlanta Project, was conceived early in 1966, when the Georgia legislature refused to seat Julian Bond because of his support for SNCC's anti-war statement on Vietnam. Bond's legislative district included Vine City. The project, initiated by SNCC within Atlanta's black community, was an experiment in political organization which was intended to bring together residents of the community to discuss basic problems, and to enable them to gain a significant measure of control over the public decisions which affected their lives.
The Vine City Project coalesced around several issues, beginning with Bond's second campaign for office. The Project challenged local slumlords, unfair employers, and police brutality, and also became involved with anti-draft activities and issues relating to the Federal government's new “War on Poverty” program. During the later years of SNCC, the call for “Black Power” arose; this developing theme is evidenced in several Vine City Project activities, such as Freedom Schools, black history, and black cultural events.
By 1967 the Vine City Project staff, headed by William Ware, was on the verge of demanding complete autonomy. A serious rift developed between Ware and the SNCC Central Committee; the crisis ended with the firing of Ware. Because SNCC was not in a position to restaff the Project, it was suspended.
