The collection spans from 1938 to 2001, the bulk of which dates from ca. 1952 to 2001, and contains articles, programs, and other publications related to the medical career of Dr. Asa G. Yancey, his contributions to healthcare in Atlanta, and the history of African American healthcare workers including Dr. Charles R. Drew, under whom Yancey studied.

The papers span from 1927 to 1998 with the bulk from 1980 to 1998 and consist of correspondence, printed material, financial and legal documents of the West End Neighborhood Development, Inc. from 1976 to 1998 as well as articles, clippings, correspondence, and research collected by Sikes related to African Americans in the South, various neighborhoods in Atlanta including Summerhill, Midtown, Sylvan Hills, Bedford Pines, and Vine City, and historic preservation and urban renewal.

The collection consists materials collected about African American scholar and artist Lisa Ann Pertillar-Brevard dating from 1986 to 1996 including biographical information, newspaper and magazine articles on a variety of subjects including education, copies of periodicals and publications to which she has contributed, publications of the University of Maryland that pertain to African American issues, and various brochures and pamphlets.