Mission Statement

Our founder, Reverend Dr. C.T. Vivian and his wife, Octavia Vivian, were giants in the Civil Rights Movement. They worked tirelessly to push America to honor its promises of freedom, equality, and democracy. In addition to that work, the Vivians were intellectuals who had a passion for education and the written word. They spent their lives collecting an extensive 6,000 volume collection of rare books authored by Black Americans or about the Black diaspora. It was their dream to share this collection with future generations.

The C.T. Vivian Foundation is an Atlanta based, nonprofit organization.  The mission of the Foundation is to expand the legacy and vision of C. T. and Octavia Vivian through social justice initiatives centered around literacy, education, and the preservation of Black literature and history  in order to advance and broaden our understanding of who we are, who we have been, and who we have the potential to be as African Americans and people of African descent.

C.T.  and Octavia Vivian both passed away in their home in Atlanta, GA (2012 and 2021, respectively). As prominent Civil Rights leaders, The Vivian dedicated their lives to bringing equality through nonviolent action. Their legacy and vision live on through the C.T. Vivian Foundation, Inc. and its programs