UCT Libraries

 

BC 706 THE Z.K. MATTHEW'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

 

Manuscripts & Archives

 

University of Cape Town Libraries

 

presented to

The University of Cape Town Libraries

by

Professor Monica Wilson and

Professor Harold Isaacs

A list

compiled by

Margaret Curran

1981

Revised 1983

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Biographical note

The Collection

A.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

B.

CORRESPONDENCE

C.

TRIBUTES

D.

DONALD STUART MISCELLANY

E.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY (Harold Isaacs additional material 1983)

F.

CORRESPONDENCE (Harold Isaacs additional material 1983)

INTRODUCTION

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Zachariah Keodirelang Matthews was born on October 20 1901 near Kimberley, Cape Colony, the son of a mineworker. He was educated in South Africa, America and England, the first African graduate in South Africa from Fort Hare College in 1923, the first African headmaster of Adams College, Natal and in 1930 the first African graduate of Law of the University of South Africa.  His long association with the University College of Fort Hare began in 1936 when he was appointed Lecturer in

Social Anthropology, Native Law and Administration.  In 1945 he became Head of the Department of African Studies and during the early 1950's he was Vice Principal.

Professor Matthews was active in political affairs, becoming Chairman of the African National Congress. This activity led to his arrest in 1956 on a charge of High Treason. He was tried and acquitted. In 1959 he left Fort Hare, setting up in private legal practice. In 1960 the African National Congress was banned and, following the Sharpeville shootings, he was detained for 135 days and then released.

In 1962 he left South Africa and joined the staff of the World Council of Churches in Geneva, travelling widely in Africa on World Council business.

He retired to Botswana, where he was invited to become Botswana's ambassador to the United States and then the country's permanent representative to the United Nations.  While engaged on this work he died in Washington, U.S.A. on May 11, 1968.

THE COLLECTION

The Z K Matthews Autobiography was presented to the University of Cape Town Libraries in 1981 by Professor Monica Wilson and numbers 120 items. Additional material was donated by Professor Harold Isaacs in 1983 numbering 158 items.

The collection consists mainly of the original typescript, with handwritten notes, of Professor Matthews' autobiography "Freedom for my People".  Professor Wilson edited this material and added four chapters in the published work.

Other material in the collection includes a biography of her husband by Mrs Frieda Matthews, personal correspondence with well-known educational and political figures over four decades and tributes on the Professor's death in 1968.

The collection throws interesting light on the political scene in South Africa from 1940-1961 and the experiences of a black intellectual of international repute.

There are no restrictions on the use of the material, but permission should first be obtained from the University Librarian.

The Harold Isaacs donation consists of 4 sections of TS chapters of Z K's autobiography, from which the book was compiled, originally to be titled "Without Trumpets", but afterwardsrenamed "Freedom for my People", also correspondence between Harold Isaacs, Z.K. and Frieda Matthews, various publishers re Z.K's book and other writers re the government takeover of Fort Hare and Z.K's position there and his future

 

BC 706

Z. K. MATTHEWS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

 

A.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY (see also E1 - E4 )

No. of items

A1.1-A1.300

Original TS of autobiography entitled 'Freedom for my People' - Chapters 1-5, 7, 8, 9, 11. TS

1

A2

Frieda's Journal

 

A2.1-A2.23

Mrs Frieda Matthews' biography of her husband 'Without trumpets' TS with MS notes

1

A2.24-A2.24.1

Curriculum Vitae of Z.K.M. TSS (see also E5 - E7 )

2

B.

CORRESPONDENCE (See also Section F )

 

B1.1-B1.3

Correspondence between Professor C P Dent (Principal of Fort Hare) and Mr H S vd Walt (secretary for Education, Arts and Science), Professor Z K Matthews, Dr T E Dönges (Minister for the Interior) in connection with Professor Matthews' visit to the U.S.A. in 1952/53, press reports application for renewal of his passport and refusal of same. Period 22.10.52-10.12.53 TSS

23

 

Correspondence now arranged alphabetically:

 

B2.1-B2.3

African National Congress to Z.K.M. 29.12.56 and 14.9.59. His reply 3.10.59. TSS

3

B3.1

Blackwell, Leslie to Z.K.M. 11.4.61. MS

1

B4.1

Bunche, Ralph to Z.K.M. 3.1.39. TS

1

B5.1

Brookes, Dr Edgar H.to 22.9.56. MS

1

B6.1

Brutus, Dennis to Z.K.M. 26.9.61. TS

1

B7.1

Civil Rights League to Z.K.M. 5.11.59. TS

1

B8.1-B8.2

Collins, L John (Canon) to Z.K.M. 5.8.59 and 23.9.59. TS

2

B9.1

Conco, Z to Z.K.M. 20.1.59. MS

1

B10.1-B10.2

Daily Dispatch, East London to Professor C P Dent 25.11.52. His reply. TSS

2

B11.1-B11.4

Dent, Professor C P from Z.K.M. 20.7.52. MS Professor Dent to the Secretary of Department of Education, Arts and Science 14.9.53. TS Professor Dent to Z.K.M. 4.1.56, 14.3.53. MSS

4

B12.1

Ezenekwe, J to Z.K.M. 23.6.59. MS

1

B13.1-B13.2

Fighting Talk Magazine to Z.K.M. 15.10.56. Telegram. Z.K.M's reply 19.10.56. TS

2

B14.1

Hooper, Louisa to Z.K.M. 24.7.58. MS

1

B15.1

International Institute of African Languages and Cultures to Z.K.M. 2.7.35. TS

1

B16.1-B16.5

Isaacs, H R from Z.K.M. 12.11.54, 6.1.57, 24.12.58 (see also Section F) to Z.K.M. 10.12.57, 25.2.58 TSS

5

B17.1-B17.2

Jabavu, D D to Z.K.M. 28.9.35, 9.8.37 TS & MS

2

B18.1

Kotane, Moses from Z.K.M. 13.2.50. TS

1

B19.1

Loram, Charles T to Z.K.M. 1.7.35. TS

1

B20.1

Lutuli, A J to Z.K.M. 29.10.60. TS

1

B21.1

Maisels, Adv. A I from Z.K.M. TS

1

B22.1

Makiwane (?) X, to Z.K.M. 27.8.59. MS

1

B23.1

Malunga, A D F to Z.K.M. 21.11.61. Telegram

1

B24.1

Mankuroane, (Chief) John K M to Z.K.M.23.9.35. TS

1

B25.1-B25.2

Marquard, Leo to Z.K.M. 9.9.59, 5.4.61 TS & MS

2

B26.1-B26.2

Matthews, Bokwe to Z.K.M. 28.10.57. TSS

2

B27.1-B27.2

Matthews, John [brother] to Z.K.M., 21.12.55, 27.2.57. MSS

2

B28.1-B28.6

Mbeki, Govan A to Z.K.M. 15.11.56, 26.10.59

 

 

Mbeki, Govan A to Treasurer of Fort Hare Union 10.2.60

 

 

Mbeki, Govan A to Z.K.M. and Mrs M A Warley 23.2.60; 26.10.60

 

 

Mbeki, Govan A from Z.K.M. 28.10.60. TSS

6

B29.1

Menta, Hamilton M to Imvo ca 1950s? TS

1

B30.1

Mosaka, Paul R to Z.K.M. 13.4.59. TS

1

B31.1-B31.3

Mpanza, D? to Z.K.M. 6.5.46 from Z.K.M. No date to Z.K.M. 20.5.46. MSS

3

B32.1

Radley, Philip to Z.K.M. 12.8.59. MS

1

B33.1

Ramakrishna Centre to Z.K.M. 30.10.59. TS

1

B34.1

Soga, M T to Z.K.M. 11.10.61. MS

1

B35.1

S.R.C. Fort Hare to Z.K.M. 28.4.59. TS

1

B36.1

Suzman, Helen to Z.K.M. 13.9.59. MS

1

B37.1

Thoba to Z.K.M. 9.1.56. Telegram

1

B38.1

Treason Trialists to Z.K.M. 17.9.59. MS

1

B39.1-B39.3

Tsotsi, W M to Z.K.M. 15.10.58. MS Statement on University Education for non - Europeans in S.A. TS.  Letter of resignation from Fort Hare Union 8.1.60. TS

3

B40.1-B40.3

World Council of Churches to Z.K.M. 6.2.53; 29.9.61 World Council of Churches from Z.K.M. 14.11.61.  TSS

3

B41.1

Xuma, Dr A B to Z.K.M. 2.5.61. MS

1

C.

TRIBUTES

 

C1.1

Bayne, Stephen F, 20.5.1968 TS

1

C2.1

Caradon, Lord (Sir Hugh Foot), 20.5.1968. TS

1

C3.1

Drum Magazine June 1968 - article by Juby Mayet  TS cutting .

1

C4.1

Hurst, Christopher, 21.9.1972. TS

1

C5.1-C5.1.1

Lincoln University, 2.6.1968. TS

2

C6.1-C6.1.1

Moeding College, Botswana. TS article from Kutlwano, Sept. 1971

2

C7.1

Rhodes University when R U conferred LLD on Z.K.M. TS

1

C8.1-C8.2.1

S A Outlook. Letter dated 28.7.71 from Francis [Wilson] to Mrs Matthews. 8' A Outlook Supplement with tributes from Alexander Kerr, Monica Wilson and Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi

3

C9.1

United Nations - Garth ap Rees for U Thant TS

1

C10.1

Wilson, Professor Monica. TS

1

D.

DONALD STUART MISCELLANY

 

D1.1-D1.4

Letters from Mrs Matthews in Botswana to D S in Canada. 25.10.72; 19.12.72 and undated MSS

4

D2.1

Notes on Z.K.M's early life by Mrs Matthews. MS

1

D3.1

Short notes on Z.K.M. for The African Yearly Register [± 1930?]. MS/TS

1

D4.1

Letter from Monica Wilson to D S. 7.9.72. MS/TS

1

D5.1

Short biography of Z.K.M. by D S for the Oxford University Press Encyclopaedia. TS

1

D6.1-D6.3

Notes by D S on Anthony Sampson's "The Treason Cage" and Mrs M Ballinger's "From Union to Apartheid". Miscellaneous notes on Z.K.M. MSS

3

D7.1

Statement by Fort Hare Union [± 1958/59?] TS

1

 

HAROLD ISAACS DONATION 1983

 

E

AUTOBIOGRAPHY. (See also Section A)

 

E1 - E4

Volumes of TS chapters of Professor Z.K. Matthew's autobiography, from which the final book was compiled, first entitled "Without Trumpets" and later renamed "Freedom for my People".

4

E5 - E7

Curriculum vitae Z.K.M. TSS(see also A2.24 - A2.24.1)

16

F

CORRESPONDENCE(see also Section B)

 

F1 - F138

Correspondence between Harold Isaacs, Z.K. Matthews, Frieda Matthews, various publishers re Z.K'.s book, other writers and institutions re the South African Government's takeover of Fort Hare University, Z.K's position there and his future.  4.5.1954 - 9.6.1960. MSS & TSS

138

 

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