[The papers of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, London, were formally transferred to the Rhodes House Library at the University of Oxford on April 23, 1998. In that connection, the Library published the following brochure.]
The archival collection of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) is currently being sorted out and processed at Rhodes House Library, Oxford, with the aim of compiling a comprehensive catalogue of the entire archive. When this work is completed, this collection will represent one of the richest resources of historic material available on the international campaign against apartheid and racism in Southern Africa.
The AAM was dissolved in 1995 following the successful transition of South Africa from an apartheid state to a non-racial democratic society; a transition which was symbolised by the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela in May 1994. One of the final decisions of the AAM was to transfer the ownership of all its archival material to the Rhodes House Library, a dependent library of the Bodleian Library of the University of Oxford.
The archival collection covers a period reaching back over nearly four decades from the launch of the Boycott Movement in June 1959 and its subsequent transformation into the AAM the following year in the wake of the Sharpeville massacre. During this period it developed into one of the most important campaigning organisations in post-war Britain which was able to bring significant influence to bear on international policy towards South and Southern Africa.
The cataloguing of the AAM archives will ensure that this unique and rich source of documentation will be accessible to all those engaged in researching the apartheid era and the world-wide campaign against apartheid. Its contents reflect the diverse and varied activities which were all encompassed within the broad framework of the AAM.
Research themes
Examples of research themes for which the archives will be of particular relevance include:
The archival material will be of particular value for the insight it provides into a number of specific areas which were a focus of international campaigning on South Africa, including the sports boycott; the cultural and academic boycotts; campaigns against military and nuclear collaboration; campaigns for oil sanctions and campaigns against loans to South Africa.
It also provides a unique record of how the international campaign for the release of Nelson Mandela developed over his 27 years in captivity. In addition, there is extensive information about other human rights violations in South Africa.
The Anti-Apartheid Movement’s work was not limited to the effects of apartheid within the borders of South Africa. It was one of the first organisations to highlight the `unholy alliance’ between apartheid South Africa, the racist regime in Rhodesia and Portuguese colonial rule in Africa. It was actively involved in promoting independence for the former Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique as well as for Zimbabwe and Namibia. The archive contains valuable documentation about the liberation struggles in these territories as well as extensive material on the impact of South Africa's policies of aggression and destabilisation against its neighbours in the region, especially during the 1980s.
The archives will be of great interest to those undertaking research into the role of voluntary and campaigning organisations in Britain. They provide an insight into how many high profile and imaginative campaigns were organised such as the Boycott of Barclays Bank and the Nelson Mandela concerts as well as revealing the methods and techniques it deployed to mobilise thousands of people in marches, rallies and other forms of activity.
Another feature of the archives will be the material it contains about many public figures in South Africa and in Britain. A significant number of the Ministers and senior officials in South Africa's first non-racial government, including figures such as Kadar Asmal, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Mac Maharaj, Pallo Jordan, Aziz Pahad and Abdul Minty participated in AAM activities and several held senior positions in the organisation. Likewise many prominent figures in British political life were active in the AAM. For example, amongst those who held the office of AAM President were Barbara Castle, David Steel and Trevor Huddleston, whereas Neil Kinnock, Joan Lestor and Frank Dobson are amongst those who served on its Executive Committee.
Also contained within the overall archive is material relating to organisations which worked closely with the AAM, some of which the AAM serviced. These include the Liaison Group of AAMs in the EU, Southern Africa the Imprisoned Society, the Bishop Ambrose Reeves Trust, the Namibia Support Committee and ELTSA (End Loans to Southern Africa).
Archive categories
The archive itself consists of different categories including:
The work involved in processing and cataloguing the archive is immense. This is partly because of the volume of material in the collection. But also, because of its role as a campaigning organisation, maintaining comprehensive records was not always a priority for the AAM and the process of sorting out the archives has taken much longer than envisaged. Another factor is that some valuable material was stolen during various burglaries at the AAM Headquarters carried out apparently by South African agents and efforts are being made to obtain missing material from other sources. Also some material is of poor quality and requires preservation. It is therefore, not anticipated that the cataloguing process will be completed before 2001. It is hoped that it will then be frilly accessible with the catalogue on the Internet. The initial funding of this programme of work was due to the generosity of the South African Friends of the Bodleian. However further funding is required for the process of cataloguing to be completed.
Rhodes House Library works closely with the AAM Archives Committee which is chaired by Lord Hughes of Woodside. This committee was established by the AAM at the time of its dissolution for the purpose of advancing public education and research into the history of the opposition to apartheid and in particular, the history of the AAM. It can be contacted c/o the Rhodes House Library. This brochure was prepared by John Pinfold, Librarian, Rhodes House Library and Michael Terry, Secretary, AAM Archives Committee.
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A The Chair of the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archives Committee (Lord Hughes of Woodside) and the Rhodes House Librarian (Mr J R Pinfold) request the pleasure of your company at a reception at 5 pm for 5.30 pm on Friday 24 April 1998 in the Divinity School, Bodleian Library, Oxford, to mark the transfer of the Anti-Apartheid Movement Archive to Rhodes House Library
In the presence of the Vice-Chancellor, H. F. Mendi Msimang and the Most Reverend Sir Trevor Huddleston*
R.S.V.P. to the Librarian's Secretary,
Rhodes House,
South Parks Road,
Oxford OX I 3RG
Tel: 01865 270910
e-mail: wrs@bodley.ox.ac.uk
*[Sir Trevor Huddleston passed away on 19 April and was, therefore, not present at the ceremony.]