Historical Papers, Cullen Library, University of Witwatersrand
Ground Floor, William Cullen Library, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8.00-17.00 (or in line with the closure hours of the William Cullen Library)
Tel: +27 11 717 1940
Website: http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/index.php?1/P/Home
Digital photography is permitted subject to minor restrictions and form completion.
The Historical Papers research archive, situated in the William Cullen Library at Wits, was established in 1966. It is a highly used service providing a hub for a wide range of research. It is one of the most comprehensive independent archives in Southern Africa and houses over 3400 collections of historical, political and cultural importance, encompassing the mid 17th Century to the present. Included are the records of many human rights NGOs, trade unions, labour federations, political parties, women’s organisations, churches and church bodies, and the papers of human rights activists. It is also home to a large volume of political trials, photographs, press clippings, oral interviews, and material collected by several research institutions and individual researchers.
The website for Historical Papers is outstanding in providing detailed collections information and many inventories. There is a downloadable/printable guide to collections which lists all accessions. In addition, there is an online alphabetical listing of all manuscript sources, many of which have full inventories available in downloadable form. The information about the focus, temporal span and size of collections provided by the online information enables detailed preparation before any planned visit.
Last updated: 1 January 2018
