History Collection
Primary Sources: British and US documents on Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Persia
Afghanistan and the U.S., 1945-1963: Records of the U.S. State Department Classified Files
Declassified U.S. State Department files documenting U.S. and Afghan relations during the height of the Cold War and U.S. policies toward Afghanistan. The resource includes 3 subcollections:
- Records of the Department of State relating to Internal Affairs: Afghanistan, 1945-1949
- Records of the Department of State relating to Internal Affairs: Afghanistan, 1960-1963
- Records of the Department of State relating to Political Relations: U.S. and Afghanistan, 1930-1959
Afghanistan in 1919: The Third Anglo-Afghan War
The Third Anglo-Afghan War began 6 May 1919 and ended with an armistice on 8 August 1919 resulted in Afghanistan gaining indpendence from British influence. This collection of British India Office documents includes confidential correspondence, memoranda, orders, reports and other materials that provide a broad spectrum of information on military policy and administration, including the organization, operations and equipment of the British army during the war.
Central Asia, Persia and Afghanistan, 1834-1922: From Silk Road to Soviet Rule
This collection of British Foreign Office files explores the history of Persia (Iran), Central Asia and Afghanistan from the decline of the Silk Road in the first half of the nineteenth century to the establishment of Soviet rule over parts of the region in the early 1920s. It encompasses the era of “The Great Game” – a political and diplomatic confrontation between the Russian and British Empires for influence, territory and trade across a vast region, from the Black Sea in the west to the Pamir Mountains in the east.
Comprised of correspondence, intelligence reports, agents’ diaries, minutes, maps, newspaper excerpts and other materials from the FO 65, FO 106, FO 371 and FO 539 series, this resource forms one of the greatest existing sets of historical documents relating to this region, offering insights not only into the impact of Great Power politics on the region, but also the region’s peoples, cultures and societies.
Trial: Africa Commons
Trial access to the Africa Commons digital archival collections, produced by Coherent Digital, is available until January 31st. This resource provides access to books, magazines, newspapers, government documents, manuscripts, photographs, videos, and oral histories related to African history and culture. Africa Commons is a project which aims to enable Africa to easily control, digitize, and disseminate its cultural heritage–within Africa, and internationally.
Africa Commons comprises four distinct collections:
History and Culture, an index of open source materials related to African history and culture.
Black South African Magazines created from 1937-1973 targeting Black audiences.
Southern African Films and Documentaries including propaganda, newsreels, documentaries, feature films, and interviews spanning the 1900s to the early 2000s.
The Hilary Ng’wengo Archive documenting the fifty-year career of the iconic Kenyan journalist, publisher, commentator, and public figure Hilary Ng’wengo through his magazines, newspapers, television programs, and documentaries.
Send your feedback to Michele McKenzie at mmckenzie@berkeley.edu.
Center for Research Libraries releases Soviet-Era Ukrainian Newspapers Online
Center for Research Libraries in collaboration with the Global Press Archive of East View has released its latest digital collection of select Soviet-Era Ukrainian Newspaper. The collection can be accessed here: https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/seun/ or here
About the collection:
The early 20th century was a crucial time in Ukraine’s history, marked by attempts to establish an independent state, leading to the Ukrainian War of Independence. This conflict resulted in the creation of two countries by 1922: the Second Polish Republic in western Ukraine and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in the rest of the country.
Following this, rapid Soviet collectivization in the Ukrainian SSR triggered the Holodomor, a famine that began in 1932 and claimed millions of lives.
The Soviet-Era Ukrainian Newspapers (SEUN) collection, with over 50,000 pages and five titles, documents Ukraine’s history during this turbulent period, including events leading up to WWII. It includes newspapers from Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Lviv, featuring content in both Ukrainian and Russian.
Primary Sources: Feminism in Cuba, 1898-1958
The Library recently acquired Feminism in Cuba, 1898-1958 a digital archive of documents relating to feminists and the feminist movement in Cuba between Cuban independence and the end of the Batista regime.
According to the collection description, “in the decades following its independence from Spain in 1898, Cuba adopted the most progressive legislation for women in the western hemisphere. This collection provides a documentary explanation of how a small group of women and men helped to shape broad legal reforms, by describing their campaigns, the version of feminism they adopted with all its contradictions, and contrasts it to the model of American feminism.”
The archive includes a wide range of primary sources, including letters, journal essays, radio broadcasts, and personal memoirs.
Primary Sources: Al-Ahram Digital Archive
Founded in 1875, Al-Ahram (الأهرام, “The Pyramids”) is one of the longest-running newspapers in the Middle East. It has long been regarded as Egypt’s most authoritative and influential newspaper, and one of the most important newspapers in the Arab world, with a circulation of over 1 million. Prior to 1960, the newspaper was an independent publication and was renowned for its objectivity and independence. After being nationalized by President Nasser in 1960, Al-Ahram became the de facto voice of the Egyptian government and today the newspaper is managed by the Supreme Council of Press.
Primary Sources: New content from ProQuest
Through an arrangement with the California Digital Library and ProQuest, the Library has access to additional historical digital archives, including:
- Latino Civil Rights During the Carter Administration, 1979-1981
- American Federation of Labor Records: The Samuel Gompers Era, 1877-1937
- Southern Life and African American History, Plantation Records, Part 3
- Southern Life and African American History, Plantation Records, Part 4
The historical newspaper holdings have also been expanded to include:
- The Hindustan times, 1924-2010
- Barron’s Magazine (1921-2007)
- Louisville Defender (1951-2010) & The Michigan Chronicle (1939-2010) Part of African American Historical Newspapers
- St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Times (1901-2009) part of U.S. Regional Historical Newspapers
- London Evening Standard (1827-2010) Part of International Historical Newspapers
- The San Francsico Examiner (1965-2007) part of Western Regional Historical Newspapers
- In addition, access to the South China Morning Post has been extended to the years 1958-2001. Part of International Historical Newspapers
Introduction to Zotero workshops
Introduction to Zotero will be offered Wednesday, November 1 at 10:00, 12:00, and 4:00. This is a 50-minute workshop offered via Zoom. Intended for new or potential users of Zotero, it explains the features of the citation manager and covers how to import different types of items into your Zotero library, methods for exporting bibliographies into Word or Google Docs, and sharing Zotero resources among groups.
Register at https://tinyurl.com/UCBlibworkshops
If you have a chance, download Zotero and browser connector at www.zotero.org before the workshop.
The Library attempts to offer programs in accessible, barrier-free settings. If you believe you may require disability-related accommodations, please contact Vaughn Egge.
Ebook collection: Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment ONLINE
Oxford University Studies in the Englightenment Online is made up of two monograph series: Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century (SVEC) (first published in 1955) and Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment (955-2016). The collection of 572 volumes provides a broad overview of a variety of subjects relating to the Enlightenment including: history, cultural studies, literature, biography, religious studies, philosophy, and gender studies.
Primary Sources: War Department and Indian Affairs, 1800-1824
The Library recently acquired the digital edition of the War Department and Indian Affairs, 1800-1824. Here is a description from the publisher’s site:
“From 1789 until the Bureau of Indian Affairs was established in 1824, Indian affairs were under the direct control of the Secretary of War. This collection consists of the letters received by and letters sent to the War Department, including correspondence from Indian superintendents and agents, factors of trading posts, Territorial and State governors, military commanders, Indians, missionaries, treaty and other commissioners, Treasury Department officials, and persons having commercial dealings with the War Department, and other public and private individuals. In addition, attachments include vouchers, receipts, requisitions, abstracts and financial statements, certificates of deposit, depositions, contracts, newspapers, copies of speeches to Indians, proceedings of conferences with Indians in Washington, licenses of traders, passports for travel in the Indian country, appointments, and instructions to commissioners, superintendents, agents, and other officials.”
Library Trial: Znamia Digital Archive (Soviet-era periodical)
At the library, we have set up a thirty-day trial of Znamia Digital Archive through November 18, 2023.
The extensive archive of Znamia (Знамя, Banner), a highly regarded Soviet/Russian “thick journal” (tolstyi zhurnal), covers more than nine decades and is a rich source of intellectual and artistic contributions. This monthly publication has been a vibrant platform for literature, critical analysis, philosophy, and, at times, political commentary.
Originally introduced in January 1931 as LOKAF (Локаф), an acronym for the Literary Association of the Red Army and Navy, the journal officially adopted the name Znamia, which translates to “Banner” in English, in 1933. Throughout its history, Znamia has played a crucial role in presenting the works of renowned authors such as Anna Akhmatova, Alexander Tvardovsky, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Konstantin Paustovsky, Yuri Kazakov, and Yuri Trifonov.
During the era of Perestroika, starting in 1986, Znamia underwent a significant transformation and became one of Russia’s most widely read literary journals, serving as a herald of the Perestroika movement.
Access Link: https://libproxy.berkeley.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fdlib.eastview.com%2Fbrowse%2Fudb%2F6250