A catalogue of the material deposited by the Ruth First Memorial ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London xii Archives and Special Collections – Ruth First Papers
1 Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London ICS 117 Ruth First Papers Repository GB 101 Institute of Commonwealth Studies Reference code ICS117 Dates of creation of material 1889-1991 [predominantly 1946-1982] Level of description Collection Extent 95 boxes Biographical history Heloise Ruth First was born on 4 May 1925 in Johannesburg, the daughter of Julius and Matilda ('Tilly') First, Jewish emigrants to South Africa from the Baltic states. Her parents were members of the International Socialist League and founder members of the South African Communist Party (SACP). After attending schools in Johannesburg, Ruth First began a Social Science degree in 1942 at the University of Witwatersrand. Whilst at university, she helped found the leftwing Federation of Progressive Students, and also served as secretary of the Young Communist League and Progressive Youth Council. On her graduation in 1945, First took a job in the Research Division of the Department of Social Welfare of Johannesburg City Council, but she resigned in 1946 in order to pursue a career in journalism. In the same year she produced pamphlets in aid of the miners' strike and was temporarily secretary of the Johannesburg offices of the South African Communist Party. In 1947, together with Michael Scott, she exposed a farm labour scandal in Bethal, Eastern Transvaal. Between 1946-1952 she was the Johannesburg editor of the weekly newspaper the Guardian, the mouthpiece of the SACP. When this publication was banned in 1952, it was restarted under the name Clarion, a pattern which continued throughout the next decade, the titles used being People's World, Advance, New Age and Spark. Between 1954-1963 she was also the editor of Fighting Talk, a Johannesburg based monthly. In 1949 Ruth First married Joe Slovo. They had three daughters, Shawn (b.1950), Gillian (b.1952) and Robyn (b.1953). In 1950, First was named under the Suppression of Communism Act and her movements restricted. In 1953 she was banned from membership of all political organisations, although in 1955 she helped draw up the Freedom Charter, a fundamental document of the African National Congress, and was later a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the ANC's military wing. In December 1956, she Archives and Special Collections – Ruth First Papers
Page 1 and 2: i Institute of Commonwealth Studies
Page 3 and 4: iii Institute of Commonwealth Studi
Page 5 and 6: v Institute of Commonwealth Studies
Page 7 and 8: vii Institute of Commonwealth Studi
Page 9 and 10: ix Institute of Commonwealth Studie
Page 11: xi Institute of Commonwealth Studie
Page 15 and 16: 3 Institute of Commonwealth Studies
Page 23 and 24: 11 Institute of Commonwealth Studie
Page 63 and 64:
51 Institute of Commonwealth Studie
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
101 Institute of Commonwealth Studi
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
show all

A catalogue of the material deposited by the Ruth First Memorial ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?