Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1960-1972 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
5 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Basil Davidson was born on 9 November 1914. He was a member of the editorial staff of the Economist, 1938-1939. Following a brief spell as diplomatic correspondence for The Star in 1939, Davidson joined the army, serving throughout the European sphere of conflict, including a spell in Italy resulting in his receiving the Freedom of the City of Genoa in 1945. After the war he continued his work as a journalist, as Paris correspondent for The Times until 1949. He subsequently worked for the New Statesman, 1950-1954, for the Daily Herald, 1954-1957, and as leader-writer for the Daily Mirror, 1959-1962.
Since his 1952 Report on South Africa Davidson has written over twenty books on Africa and a number of novels. His publications on Portuguese Africa include In the Eye of the Storm: Angola's People (1972). He was also responsible for an eight-part television documentary on Africa in 1984. Since 1978 he has been an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Birmingham and has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Ibadan (1975), Dar es Salaam (1985), Open University (1980) and Edinburgh (1981).
Archival history
GB 0102 MS 346184 1960-1972 Collection (fonds) 5 boxes Davidson , Basil Risbridger , b 1914 , author and historian
Basil Davidson was born on 9 November 1914. He was a member of the editorial staff of the Economist, 1938-1939. Following a brief spell as diplomatic correspondence for The Star in 1939, Davidson joined the army, serving throughout the European sphere of conflict, including a spell in Italy resulting in his receiving the Freedom of the City of Genoa in 1945. After the war he continued his work as a journalist, as Paris correspondent for The Times until 1949. He subsequently worked for the New Statesman, 1950-1954, for the Daily Herald, 1954-1957, and as leader-writer for the Daily Mirror, 1959-1962.
Since his 1952 Report on South Africa Davidson has written over twenty books on Africa and a number of novels. His publications on Portuguese Africa include In the Eye of the Storm: Angola's People (1972). He was also responsible for an eight-part television documentary on Africa in 1984. Since 1978 he has been an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Birmingham and has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Ibadan (1975), Dar es Salaam (1985), Open University (1980) and Edinburgh (1981).
Presented in 1975 as part of the Southern African Materials Project 1973-1976 organised by the Centre for International and Area Studies.
Papers and publications, 1960-1972, including press releases, circulars, periodicals, press cuttings, and ephemera, collected by Basil Davidson, relating to the Portuguese colonies and independence, mainly in Africa, including Angola, Mozambique, and Congo, on subjects including the Angolan civil war and refugees.
Unrestricted.
No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
English and French
Unpublished handlist and database. For an alphabetical listing of all SAMP materials (including material deposited at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies) refer to The South African Materials Project, compiled by Brian Willan, edited by Patricia M Larby (Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, London, 1980).
The School of Oriental and African Studies holds a UNITA document, 'Exposing the lies of Basil Davidson about Angola', 1971 (Ref: MS 380205 File 1).
The British Film Institute, London, holds Davidson's correspondence with Joseph Losey, 1967-1984 (Ref: Losey 257). Reading University Library holds correspondence and papers.
Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Source: National Register of Archives. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Apr 2002 Angola Angolan Civil War (1974-) Central Africa Civil war Colonial countries Congo Davidson , Basil Risbridger , b 1914 , author and historian Decolonization Europe Migrants Mozambique Newspaper press Political movements Political systems Portugal Press Press cuttings Refugees Southern Africa Western Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Presented in 1975 as part of the Southern African Materials Project 1973-1976 organised by the Centre for International and Area Studies.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers and publications, 1960-1972, including press releases, circulars, periodicals, press cuttings, and ephemera, collected by Basil Davidson, relating to the Portuguese colonies and independence, mainly in Africa, including Angola, Mozambique, and Congo, on subjects including the Angolan civil war and refugees.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted.
Conditions governing reproduction
No publication without written permission. Apply to archivist in the first instance.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English and French
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The School of Oriental and African Studies holds a UNITA document, 'Exposing the lies of Basil Davidson about Angola', 1971 (Ref: MS 380205 File 1).
Finding aids
Unpublished handlist and database. For an alphabetical listing of all SAMP materials (including material deposited at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies) refer to The South African Materials Project, compiled by Brian Willan, edited by Patricia M Larby (Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, London, 1980).
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The British Film Institute, London, holds Davidson's correspondence with Joseph Losey, 1967-1984 (Ref: Losey 257). Reading University Library holds correspondence and papers.
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English