Repository Profile - Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Office of Archives and Records
by Angelique M. Richardson, CA, Archivist

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta was created on February 21, 1962 out of the Diocese of Atlanta, which was established on July 2, 1956 when we were separated from the Diocese of Savannah.  While relatively young as a diocese, our parishes date back to approximately 1790 with the establishment of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the first Catholic parish in Georgia).

The Archdiocese of Atlanta covers the northern half of the state of Georgia, which encompasses 21,445 square miles over 69 counties.  Our diocese has at last count 103 parishes and missions, 18 diocesan schools, 7 independent Catholic schools, and a variety of institutions (hospitals, charities, etc.) that fall under our territory and our responsibility. 

Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary was established in 1790.  The church structure was built in the 1883 and is currently undergoing some restoration.

The Office of Archives and Records, founded in 1992, has been collecting records and unique materials that document the management, organization, and history of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.  Our department’s responsibilities encompass not only the supervision of permanent archival records, but also the management of the active and semi-active records of the Archdiocesan offices and agencies.  While our offices physically sit in the Chancery building (aka our headquarters), the Office of Archives and Records is responsible for all records management and archives related functions for the entire diocese (parishes, missions, schools, etc.).

The mission of the Office of Archives and Records is to collect, preserve, and make available the permanent and official records of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, its people, institutions, and associations.  It documents the historical richness, development, and the spiritual, temporal and business affairs of the Catholic Church in North Georgia.

The archives contains collections of historical records and primary source materials in a variety of media formats.  Majority of the collections consist of paper-based records with a slowly growing photograph collection and a small oral history collection.  Materials span from approximately 1790 to the present time, although the bulk of the processed materials date from 1956 when Atlanta became its own Diocese.

Included within the Office of Archives and Records are the following record groups of materials:

• Archbishops and Bishops of Atlanta
• Archbishops’ Office (The Chancery)
• Archdiocesan Boards, Councils, and Committees
• Archdiocesan Offices and Ministries
• Parishes and Missions
• Schools
• Non-Archdiocesan Catholic Organizations
• Catholic Social Services
• Individual and Family Collections
• Audiovisual Collection
• Artifacts Collection
• Photographs Collection
• Archdiocesan Publications
• Monographs and Serials Collection
• Cemeteries
• Catholic Construction Services, Inc.

While primarily serving the administrative needs of the Chancery and assisting parishes and schools with research, preservation, and records management issues, the Office of Archives and Records is also open to the public for scholarly research by appointment or by email.  Archives related research questions should be emailed to archives@archatl.com and records management related questions should be emailed to records@archatl.com.  Also, feel free to follow what our department is working on by liking us on Facebook!

Sister Kathleen Roberts, CSJ, Teacher at Saint Anthony Catholic School in Atlanta participates in a Civil Rights March in downtown Atlanta on March 16, 1965.

 Note:  Repository Profilies are provided by the organization.  The Business Archives Section will update as notified by the organization.  Accordingly, information may not be accurate.  Individuals should contact the organization before using or citing information.

SAA Home / BAS Home / Contact the Editors