Records of Regional Political Committee of the ANC: Hampstead Unit, Hampstead, London, England

Archive Collection

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Reference
Dates of Creation
Name of Creator
Language of Material
Physical Description

Scope and Content

Newsletters 1982-1991
Records of the Hampstead Unit including: meeting minutes 1979-1989
Associated committee minutes 1980-1990
Political Prisoner committee minutes 1990
London Educational committee minutes 1980-1981
Public Meetings & National Days committee minutes 1989
National Day committee minutes 1989
Regional Structures sub-committee minutes 1988
UK Regional Political Committee minutes 1988-1989
UK & Ireland Region minutes 1988-1989
Working committee minutes 1989
Branch meeting records 1981
Reports 1981-1988
Miscellaneous reports and papers relating to South Africa 1985-1989
Statements and press releases 1983-1989
Correspondence 1981-1991
Ephemera, general administration and leaflets 1979-1989
ANC publications including: 8 January statements 1983-1989
Statements 1984-1990
Press statements 1982-1992
Conference documents 1985-1986
Speeches 1985-1989
Paper given at ANC meetings 1981-1989
Policy and constitution 1989
Pamphlets and leaflets 1987 (mainly undated)

Administrative / Biographical History

The Regional Political Committee of the ANC was the highest political organ of the African National Congress (ANC) movement in the UK. It was the task of the Committee to ensure that ANC members were fully integrated into the movement and grounded in the policies, strategies and tactics of the movement and putting the ANC's January 8th statements into practice. The movement was organised into UK regional Units. The chairmen and secretary of each Unit would attend briefings held by the main Regional Political Committee and then disseminate information back to the Unit's membership. As well as regional units there was also a Youth and Women's Section. There were also a national Political Education Committee and a Welfare Committee.

The Political Education Committee produced guidelines for the regional units for discussions they could hold relating to questions of racism, tribalism, conferences and the political education of ANC children. Further still, there was a New Members committee, Public Meetings and National Days committee, Creche committee and Regional Disciplinary committee. The RPC membership consisted of a chair and vice chair, secretary, political education secretary, regional treasurer, unit representatives, women's and youth section representatives, a cultural administrator, welfare representative, and an ex-officio Chief or Deputy Chief representative. It would appear that the RPC reported to the National Executive Committee of the ANC in the UK.

The Hampstead Unit of the RPC had around 20 members in 1986 , several of whom served on the national committees of the RPC. Meetings involved discussions on the political situation in South Africa, education and health. The Unit had connections with the Camden branch of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in London. The group actively collected funds for the RPC and ANC through lotteries and other fund raising events and was involved in campaign work through marches, leaflet distribution and petitions.

Arrangement

The material is arranged into 3 sections: newsletters, Hampstead Unit records, and ANC publications. With these sections, material is arranged into series as shown in the scope and content. Within series, items are generally arranged chronologically.

Access Information

Bona fide researchers only. Written research proposals should be submitted to the Research Collections Manager.

Acquisition Information

Following a visit to the University in the autumn of 1998 by the High Commissioner for South Africa, Her Excellency Ms Cheryl Carolus, a member of the visiting party, George Johannes, Counsellor for the Political Section of the Commission, offered to donate material from his own books and papers to form the basis of a new Special Collection. The original deposit, which consisted mainly of books, pamphlets, serials, and posters, has been supplemented with two additional deliveries of predominantly archive materials.

Note

Please note that the archive is not yet fully catalogued and further materials have yet to be identified.

Other Finding Aids

Digital file level list available in searchroom. Further information can be found via the Glasgow Caledonian Research Collections homepage http://www.lib.gcal.ac.uk/researchcollections/index.htm .