African Activist Archive Project

The African Activist Archive Project now has 5,000 digital items in its free, online collection (http://africanactivist.msu.edu/) from the U.S. anti-apartheid and other solidarity movements during the early 1950s to the mid-1990s. It includes documents, posters, photographs, T-shirts, buttons, and audio and video recordings that were produced by more than 260 groups in 35 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia. The archive also includes materials in support of the anti-colonial struggles elsewhere in Southern Africa, especially Namibia, Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau.

Staff at Michigan State University Libraries are continuing to add materials - 1,500 items in 2011 and a planned 1,000 more in 2012, and also continue to contact former activists in the Africa solidarity movement.
In January, the project started a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/African.Activist.Archive)
highlighting historically interesting and newly added items to the digital collection and pointing to similar archival projects.

Any UK readers with collections of similar material are very welcome to contact David Clover at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library

Exhibition: Independence and After: Dr Eric Williams and the Making of Trinidad & Tobago

A small exhibition to co-incide with the Institute for the Study of the America's conference, "Independence and After: Dr Eric Williams and the Making of Trinidad & Tobago" taking place today, is situated on the 1st floor, Senate House, University of London.


The exhibition shows material from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies book and archive collections, including material from the Political Pamphlets Collection (from the People's National Movement, Democratic Labour Party, and Indian Association of Trinidad and Tobago) and the West India Committee and CLR James collections.


The exhibition will remain up for the rest of this week. It is intended that a digital version of the exhibition will be mounted on the Senate House Library website at a later date.

Jubilee Time Capsule

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies Librarian recenlty met with staff from the Royal Commonwealth Society's Jubilee Time Capsule project.

With 2012 marking the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II also marking 60 years as Head of the Commonwealth, the project aims to build a unique time capsule of this time – and want to hear your story!

The project asks that you pick a day from the last 60 years and tell them what happened in your family, community or country. You could interview someone, write a poem, do a drawing, take a photograph or make a film. There are 21,915 days in the last 60 years (from 6th February 1952 until 5th February 2012) and they need stories for each of them!

The Time Capsule is open to people of any age but special prizes will be given to those under 25.

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library is currently assessing what material to contribute from our own collections, including potentially from the history of the Institute itself, as well as from some of the Commonwealth non-government organisations whose records and archives we hold. Some of the material from our photographic and political pamphlet collections may also be included.


Have a look and think about contributing to the Jubilee Time Capsule website

Nigerian Political Pamphlets

With news of the delay in the Nigerian elections it seems timely to promote the Political Pamphlets collections again.

The Political Pamphlets collection includes material published by political parties, trade unions and pressure groups; including material such as election campaign material, manifestos rules and regulations etc. As well as pamphlets, leaflets and booklets the collection includes posters, flags, paper hats and stickers and badges.
Material relating to Nigeria currently available on the catalogue dates from 1957 to 1998, and includes materials from parties such as the: Action Group of Nigeria; All Peoples Party; Alliance for Democracy; Dynamic Party; Kano People's Party; Mid-West State Movement; National Party of Nigeria, Nigerian National Alliance; Nigerian National Democratic Party; Nigerian Youth Congress; Northern People's Congress; People's Redemption Party; Progressive Peoples Party; Social Democratic Party; Socialist Workers and Farmers Party of Nigeria; Talakawa Party; Unity Party of Nigeria and the Workers Party of Nigeria.

We're always happy to accept new material for the collection. Please contact the Commonwealth Studies Librarian if you have material relating to elections, political parties or other political campaigns.

Political Pamphlets and Ephemera

Depicted are some examples of pamphlets relating to Australia.


The political archives held by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library encompass more than 270 boxes of material from over 60 countries. They mainly date from the 1960s and 1970s, and as a consequence for many countries they cover the hugely significant period of the transition to independence. To keep this collection up to date we welcome donations of material from political parties, trade unions and pressure groups (on issues of all kinds, including women’s and lesbian and gay rights, the environment, and trade). Material can be sent to:

David Clover
The Commonwealth Studies Librarian, University of London
Library Office, 4th Floor , Senate House
Malet St
London WC1E 7HU.