The League of Women Voters of Atlanta was organized in 1920, one month before the establishment of the National League of Women Voters, later called the League of Women Voters of the U.S. The Atlanta League was initially called the Atlanta League of Woman Citizens. It was founded after the August 1920 ratification of the woman suffrage amendment by many of the same women who were active in the Central Committee of Woman Citizens, an organization established in 1919 to administer the registration of women to vote in the 1919 Atlanta municipal election.

The purpose of the League of Women Voters of Atlanta, a non-partisan organization, was to obtain better government through an informed public. Because women were not granted suffrage in this country until 1920 (except for cases such as the 1919 Atlanta municipal election and other local or state exceptions), many women approached their recent franchisement with a conscientious attitude. The ex-suffragists of 1920 who joined the League of Women Voters of Atlanta not only exercised their right to vote. They were also active in the voter registration of other women; the study of citizenship, city government and politics; research and massive publicity on voting issues, candidates, voting and registration official procedures; and the involvement of Atlanta civic and business leaders in their work.

Eleanore Raoul [Mrs. Harry L. Greene] was the primary driving force behind the effective administration of the Atlanta League. She also appears to be responsible for much of the documentary information in the records (early minutes, correspondence, and compilations about League work). She was involved in suffrage work in Georgia, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia beginning in 1915. She was also a paid worker for the National Suffrage office in New York for a time. Miss Raoul headed the Central Committee of Woman Citizens in Atlanta and was most active in setting up the administration and functional reorganization of the Atlanta League. She also found time to study law and graduated from Emory Law School in the early 1920's. By the 1930's, she moved out of elected positions in the Atlanta League, largely because of her trust in the leadership abilities of other members. She recognized that an organization operated primarily through one major leader tended to thwart the capacities of other potential leaders.

Another active leader in the Atlanta League was Maude Pollard Turman, who served several terms as President and Board Chairman in the 1920's and 1930's. She was at one time director of the National League; she also taught a citizenship course at Emory University based on her book Lessons in Citizenship. She and Miss Raoul founded the organization Active Voters.

The Atlanta League was governed by a board elected by the entire membership which was responsible for determining official policies. It appointed a director or executive head responsible for staff which carried out the policies. The League Program was adopted by a vote of the entire membership at the annual meetings (usually held in January). Only items which were studied for one year could be sponsored by the League as a project. The Atlanta League attended public meetings and maintained contact with public officials concerning local political issues, sponsored study groups on citizenship and special issues, published a monthly bulletin Facts and other publications, sponsored public forums, and conducted other non-partisan activities on the investigation of local government. A 1944 report stated that this was the "first time a group of citizens has carefully followed the activities of public officials with no ulterior or selfish motive."

The Atlanta League was financed through membership dues (part of which went to the Georgia League) and contributions. Early League finance activities were primarily focused on increasing membership and soliciting contributions from members. By the 1940's the finance committee implemented quite sophisticated finance drives focusing on the financial support of major Atlanta business leaders. The Atlanta League also encouraged these leaders to publicize and support the registration and voting of their employees. To encourage wider membership and support, the Men's Council of the Atlanta League was established in 1929, composed of Atlanta civic and business leaders. A Men's Finance Luncheon was usually held as a part of the Annual Meetings. Records concerning the Men's Council are located with the Board Minutes of 1929, the Finance Committee records, and the Annual Meeting Minutes, especially for 1934 and 1937. A Business Women's group was also established as part of the Atlanta League to facilitate membership by a wider spectrum of women. Reports of this group were submitted at the board meetings.

These records document both the work of the League's internal administration -- its organization, finance, membership, publicity; and its activity in numerous local government improvement campaigns. The first major campaign of the Atlanta League was for the revision of the city charter, a voting issue in 1922 and 1927. A Citizen's Charter Committee was established for the 1922 campaign for a Council-Manager system of city government. The League also sponsored lectures by Dr. A.R. Hatton, an authority on city government during this time.

In 1924, the Atlanta League began conducting major voter registration campaigns; by 1926, these were complemented by active "Get out the Vote" campaigns in which the League obtained the support of other civic groups. Board Minutes as early as 1921 document the League's work in conducting Citizenship Schools to meet the public need for information on public issues and the operation of city government. League members also spoke to civic and school groups on city government and the League work. The Atlanta League also conducted candidates meetings and initiated a candidate’s questionnaire about the candidates' personal history and stance on specific issues. This and other information was published in the monthly publication Facts, which was begun in 1928. The February issue was a political directory which cited the names, functions, and salaries of public officials and of members of numerous city and county boards or commissions.

The records are an invaluable source for the study of the Atlanta League, the role of women in voluntary organizations, the study of Atlanta politics and government, and the impact of the ratification of the Woman Suffrage Amendment. Of particular interest are the names of those Atlanta citizens (League members and other civic and business leaders) who were so actively involved with the improvement of Atlanta city government. Also of interest are the investigative files on candidates and elections and the subject files on the 1930's graft investigation in the Atlanta city government. The records document the Atlanta League's affiliation with state and national Leagues and include significant broadsides and other printed material on voting and public issues.