Ruth First Papers
The complete catalogue of the papers of Ruth First (1925-1982) are now
available for searching on a CALM 2000 database in the Library of the
Institute of Commonwealth Studies. A leaflet about the collection has also
been produced by the archivist who completed this project, Matti Watton.
About the papers
Ruth First was one of the foremost campaigners against the South African
apartheid regime, a writer and journalist, and an authority on African
politics. The papers reflect First's varied life and career - they include
personal material relating to her family life in South Africa and later in
England, her writing and newspaper editorships, and research material
accumulated during her career which concentrates mostly on subjects such as
colonialism, African politics and labour.
Notable items include correspondence files containing letters between First
and her husband, Joe Slovo, their family and fellow activists, files of
newspaper cuttings which she collected, drafts of her publications, and
material from her research into the welfare of Mozambican miners in South
Africa.
Access to the papers
The papers may be consulted at the ICS by bona fide researchers. Please note
that readers who wish to consult personal correspondence files must first
obtain permission from the head of ICS Library in conjunction with the Ruth
First Memorial Trust. Such files are marked in the catalogue. The collection
contains some tapes and transcripts of interviews of friends of Ruth First,
which require the written permission of the interviewee as well as that of
the Trust Chairman. Copies of the papers may be made, subject to the usual
copyright conditions.
The papers have been placed in the care of the ICS by the Ruth First
Memorial Trust who jointly funded the nine-month cataloguing project along
with the University of London's Vice-Chancellor's Discretionary Fund.
For further information, or if you would like a copy of the leaflet, please
contact ICS Library:
Library, Institute of Commonwealth Studies Library, 28, Russell Square,
London, WC1B 5DS.
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: (0)20 7862 8842
______________________________________________________________________
Julie Evans, Deputy Information Resources Manager and CASBAH Project Manager
Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of
London
28 Russell Sq, London, WC1B 5DS
Tel: +44(0)20 7862 8833 (direct) / +44(0)20 7862 8844 (switchboard)
Fax: +44(0)20 7862 8820
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.sas.ac.uk/commonwealthstudies
http://www.casbah.ac.uk
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