The Southern Mountain Workship files contain correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, press releases and photographs documenting the Southern Mountain Workship program which Smith College and the Conference of Southern Mountain Workers (CSMW) co-sponsored between 1944-1960.

The files are arranged by type of material. Included are Press Releases (1944-1959) and Newspaper Clippings (1949-1958) describing the program and activities of the students who were awarded the workship. There is also Correspondence (1949-1972) between the administrators of the Conference of Southern Workers and Smith College, and various parties interested in the work of the SMW. In addition, there is correspondence of individual students involved with the program. There are also Reports (1946-1959) which document the activities of the women and the projects with which they were involved. These reports provide insights into the work accomplished by the program. Photographs (1950-1954) include press photographs and a small number of informal photographs of students at work.