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Microforms

S Collections

Slave Trade Book and Pamphlet Collection, 1680-1865

This collection was filmed from the Heartman Manuscript Collection: Manuscripts on Slavery, housed at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"The Xavier University of New Orleans, the only Black Catholic Institute of Higher Education in the United States, possesses in its library a substantial collection of Manuscripts relating to the North American slave trade during the period 1724-1897, including important documents from New Orleans dating from 1803 to early Reconstruction.

"Built up over 20 years by Charles F. Heartman, a Mississippi book-dealer, the Collection of over 4000 pieces provides a fascinating insight into the civil and legal status of enslaved blacks. The New Orleans Municipal records are an extremely valuable source of information on the work and leisure activities of the 19th century slaves, and the Xavier library also holds the only surviving manuscripts of official slave-auction records." -- from the back cover of the Reel Index

The present collection of 21 reels represents a total of 251 titles: 250 books and 1 serial. The index provides a reel-by-reel listing of the contents of the collection, which includes addresses, essays, debates in the House of Commons, petitions against the government, accounts of trials, descriptions of living conditions and Thomas Clarkson's 1808 The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade by the British Parliament

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library - Microfilms HT857.S42 1985t

Guide: Stauffer Library - Reference HT857 .S42 1985t Guide

Notes

  • Thomas Clarkson's original 1808 The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade by the British Parliament (2 Volumes) is available in Stauffer books, HT1162 .C6.
  • For more information on the topic, or to view the Thompson-Clarkson collection of source materials used for The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade by the British Parliament, see also Anti-Slavery Collection: 18th - 19th Centuries..

South Africa: The War of 1899-1902 and the Chinese Labour Question

This microfilm collection contains material from the John Burns Library on the Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902) and on the post-war labour issues or the "Chinese Labour Question". It is a compilation of pamphlets, leaflets and articles published in the decade following the pre-war Jameson Raid of 1895-96.

Issues covered include: Rights of the Uitlander [outlander: "Before the war of 1899-1902: a foreigner settled or sojourning in the South African Republic." (Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed.)]; control of black labour; the Boer attempt to overthrow the British right to suzerainty; and issues of forced labour and slavery in the Transvaal. Material has also been copied from the Royal Commonwealth Society Library and is in the form of articles from the leading journals of the time in Great Britain, the U.S., and Australia.

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library Compact Shelving at Microfilm DT no.011

Guide: Stauffer Library Reference & Compact Shelving at Z3608 .A4 S68 1983t

Notes

  • The South African War (or second Boer War) of 1899-1902, the costliest war of the 19th Century both in terms of money and lives, left large regions of farmland devastated, several major towns held under British siege conditions, and production in the former Boer (Dutch Afrikaners) republics severely disrupted. In addition to the Africans suffering from having been caught between the British and Dutch armies, drought conditions immediately following the war led to further dislocation in the countryside. Sir Alfred Milner, governor of the Cape Colony and one of the main actors in the Transvaal War (or first Boer War) of 1880-1881, was involved in the new administration and devised "an ambitious plan for encouraging British immigrants to redress the balance between Dutch (or Afrikaner) and British in South Africa, for expanding education, subsidizing new municipal councils, and rebuilding the country". -- from the Guide, page 3
  • To finance this plan, Milner looked to the gold mines that had led to the colonisation and conflicts in South Africa. However, the mines could not return to full production, because the African labour force resisted attempts to have their wages reduced and new production routines imposed on them. "[T]he Chamber of Mines claimed a shortage of 129,000 black labourers in 1903, and that figure would rise to 365,000 by 1908. Proposals for the use of white unskilled labour [were] rejected, and ultimately Milner persuaded the British government to sign the necessary treaty with China for the importation of 60,000 labourers between 1903 and 1907.-- from the Guide, pages 3-4

South African Institute of Race Relations
The "B" Box Collection (1930-1950)

"In November 1972 the South African Institute of Race Relations transferred various of its archival collections to the University of Witwatersrand; included were 103 boxes of a collection known as the "B" box. The Institute's archivist advised that the "B" box collection contained the official records of the Institute as distinct from the "R.J." collection, which comprised the personal papers of J.D. Rheinallt Jones, director of the Institute. 

The "B" Box Collection is considered Part I of the South African Institute of Race Relations archives, and is meant to be used with the "R.J." Collection, which is considered as Part II. Materials in the "B" box collection pertain mainly to the period of 1930 to 1950, with some documents as early as 1926 and as recently as 1961. The index provides an inventory to the collection, listing the number of items in each file, the names of principal correspondents, subject fields, and other notations of particular importance. A brief sketch of the institute and a comprehensive index of all personal names mentioned in the inventory included in the index to Part II, the "R.J." collection at Z3918.R3 B12 1981t Guide Pt. 2

Note: Subject treatment and headings have been used where they were the approved nomenclature of the day.

"Subjects covered are the social and economic conditions of Blacks, Coloureds and Indians, with particular reference to education, literacy, land, farm labour, labour relations, housing, the urban Black, health & welfare services, medical training, juvenile delinquency, the liquor problem, discriminatory legislation and penal reform". -- from the Index to the collections, 1981

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library Compact Shelving at Microfilm no.014-135

Guide: Stauffer Library Books & Stauffer Library Reference at Z3918.R3 B122 1981t

South African Institute of Race Relations
The "RJ" Collection (1929-1954)

This collection represents 315 boxes of papers belonging to John David Rheinallt Jones, a former director of the South African Institute of Race Relations. Although the "R.J." collection is considered Part II of the Institute's archives, and distinct from Part I, the "B" Box Collection, the contents of both parts contain similar materials, consisting of records of the Institute's history and Rheinallt Jones' personal papers.

Note: As in the case of the "B" Box collection, subject treatment and headings have been used where they were the approved nomenclature of the day.

"The 'R.J.' collection ... spans the years 1929 to 1954 although there are some items as early as 1921 and as late as 1968. There is a large section on the foundation and work of the Institute covering its policy, publications, membership, administration, activities and regions. The other subject divisions are urban affairs, land, taxation, legislation, franchise, justice, economics, labour, education, Coloured and Indian affairs, social services, World War II, organisations with which the Institute was associated, Protectorates, Africa, church and missionary and J.D. Rheinallt Jones in his personal and senatorial capacity. The collection reflects the Institute's efforts to upgrade the economic, social, and political status of Blacks, Coloureds and Indians in South Africa, with particular reference to housing, health, education and franchise, and to improving relations between the different races." -- from the Guide to the collections (1990)

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library Microforms at DT1709. S68 (75 reels)

Guide: Stauffer Library Reference & Books at Z3918.R3 B12 1981t Guide Pt. 2

Notes

The Guide to the collection contains a brief biography of John David Rheinallt Jones, as well as a sketch of the Institute's history.

T Collections

Terrorism - Special Studies, 1975-1985

"The UPA [University Publications of America] Special Studies series offers federally commissioned, in-depth research on topics of the highest priority from leading public and private policy research facilities. The authors of these studies are associated with such institutions as the RAND Corporation, the Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute, the Naval War College’s Center for Advanced Research, the National Defense University, the Institute for Defense Analysis, the American Institutes for Research, and major international institutes at prominent universities .... Since the 1970s, the phenomenon of international terrorism has repeatedly forced itself upon the American consciousness. At the same time, policy makers have struggled to formulate an effective and coherent strategy to combat terrorist acts, both domestically and abroad." -- from the LexisNexis UPA Special Studies Overview of the Collection

The documents in this collection cover a broad range of topics and provide in-depth analysis including, but not limited to, specific terrorist attacks, types of acts, objectives underpinning the instigation of violence, motives, the psychology and behavioural science of terrorism, and the worldwide political implications of imminent threats and manifestations of terrorism. The collection serves both an immediate need, as the threat continues to dwell in global consciousness, and a historical purpose in documenting the causes and potential recurrent patterns of terrorist activities.

In addition to an overview of each document within the collection, the Guides also provide a subject index which includes countries as subjects. Some topics of note include: Behavioral Science in Physical Security; Pierre Laporte and the FLQ; IRA; Counterterrorism; INTERPOL; Iranian Hostage Crisis.

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library Microforms at HV6431 .T495 1986t (5 reels)

Guide: Stauffer Library Reference at HV6431 .T495 1986t

Notes

  • As of 2006, the collection consists of the original 1975-1985 documents, and four supplements up to the year 2001.
  • Queen's Library has Supplement 1: 1985-1988, which consists of 5 supplementary reels (stored with the original collection).

Le Theatre de la Revolution et de l'Empire

From the Centre d'études du XVIIIe Siècle (Centre of 18th Century Studies) at the Université de Bordeaux, this collection consists of 132 plays selected by Marc Régaldo from numerous productions during the period of the French Revolution. The plays were chosen as being most representative from the perspective of historical testimony of the era. The plays have been arranged in chronological order by first performance, although in some instances, the exact date of the first performance could not be determined.

For performances during the time that the French Republican Calendar was utilized (approximately 1793-1806), two dates have been provided in the entry: the Republican Calendar date and its equivalent based on the Gregorian Calendar. Dates range approximately from 1789 to 1813. -- An interpreted paraphrase of the Guide, Page 6; translated from French with AltaVista's BabelFish

Elements of a Sample Entry (Guide, p. 20-21):

  1. 5426 (Access Number)
  2. OSCAR, FILS D' OSSIAN (Title)
  3. tragédie en 5 acts (Genre and No. of Acts)
  4. par ARNAULT (Author by surname)
  5. Théâtre de la République (Location of first performance)
  6. 14 prairial an IV (Republican date of first performance)
  7. 2 juin 1796 (Gregorian date of first performance)
  8. Histoire d'amour et de mort qui témoigne de l'influence des poèmes ossianiques. En dépit de reminiscences classiques, situations et caractères sont déjà passablment romantiques. Oscar fut naturellement interprété par Talma. Le public ne put supporter l'horreur des acts IV et V: Arnault dut refaire la fin de sa pièce. (Plot and notes on the play.)
  9. Paris, Du Pont, an IV (1796), XV-87 p. (Publication information with double date scheme.)

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library Microforms at Microfiche no.706 (166 fiche plus Guide)

Notes: The collection and Guide are in French.

The Thomason Tracts, 1640-1661

George Thomason (d. 1666) was a Bookseller of the Rose and Crown shop in St. Paul's Church Yard, London, England. Sometimes documented as George Thompson or Tompson in the Register of Stationers' Hall, Thomason was a remarkable benefactor of the British Museum. From the period of 1640-1661, Thomason acquired and preserved works including writings, sermons, songs, political speeches, debates, opinions, jokes, gossip, news reports, and early newspapers. He also collected manuscripts relating to the Execution of King Charles I, the Civil War, the Commonwealth, and the Restoration. The original collection is comprised of more than 23,926 tracts in 2,142 volumes.

"At the time of Thomason's death in 1666, the pamphlets were at Oxford in the care of Thomas Barlow, the Provost of Queen's College. Thomason himself appreciated the significance of his collection; his will emphasised the unparallelled scope of the collection as well as the time and money that had been spent in its formation. After Barlow became Bishop of Lincoln, various attempts were made to sell the collection to the University of Oxford, to the nation, and, later, to several of the wealthiest private collectors in the country. All these attempts failed, mainly because of the high price being demanded. As a result, for almost a century the vast collection remained inaccessible, ignored and neglected by historians. It was not until 1762 that the pamphlets were finally sold to the Earl of Bute, acting on behalf of George III. They were presented to the British Museum in 1762 in the king's name. As a result, the collection is occasionally known as the 'King's Tracts' in some 18th and 19th century sources. The Thomason Collection was transferred to the British Library in 1973." -- from the British Library documentation describing the collection

The microfilm collection consists of nine units of approximately 100,000 pages each, spanning 256 reels. Part I of the Index to the 256 reels gives the volume and page reference on which the item is to be found in the catalogue, the date of publication for each tract, the Wing identification number, and the reel number location in the microfilm collection. Part II of the Index provides a cross-reference to the Thomason Tracts by Wing number. The Index also includes an explanation of a sample entry. Also included is a facsimile of the 1908 catalogue to the collection housed at the British Museum. Volume 1, Part 1 of the catalogue provides a detailed biography of George Thomason and his book trade.

Location and Call Number: Stauffer Library Microfilms at Microfilm Thomason (256 reels

Guide: Stauffer Library Reference & W.D. Jordan Special Collections Reference at Z2018 .T4t: Parts I & II

Notes

  • The Collection Catalogue is available in Stauffer Reference at Z2018.B85 1977 and consists of 2 volumes in 2 parts each, for a total of 4 books.
  • Queen's Library also has purchased online access to The Thomason Tracts via ProQuest's Early English Books Online.