National Archives of Guyana

Last updated
National Archives of Guyana
National archives of guyana.jpg
Government Department overview
Formed1958 (1958)
Jurisdiction Guyana
HeadquartersD'Urban Part, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown
Minister responsible
  • Officer-in-Charge
Parent departmentMinistry of Culture, Youth and Sport
The poor state of document management, December 2015 Books in room Archive centre.png
The poor state of document management, December 2015

The National Archives of Guyana (also known as the Walter Rodney Archives) is the legal depository for official records and local newspaper publications in Guyana. Established in 1958, the National Archives are situated in D'Urban Park on Homestretch Avenue in Central Georgetown. In 1972 it was made a department of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in the Government of Guyana. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

The National Archives of Guyana were founded in 1958. They were originally located in a building on Main Street. [4]

In 1982, the Government of Guyana passed the National Archives of Guyana Act, which made the National Archives a department of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and the archivist an officer-in-charge with duty to report to the ministry. [2]

In the year 2000, the National Archives of Guyana acquired and installed a microfiche unit. [2]

In 2008, the National Archives were relocated to Homestretch Avenue. At this time they were renamed the Walter Rodney Archives in memory of the Guyanese historian and political activist, Dr. Walter Rodney. [3] [4]

Holdings

The National Archives of Guyana is a repository of official state records and local publications, including newspaper publications, from Guyana. In the mid-1980s, the National Archives recorded holdings that measured in at 510,000 linear feet. [1] The holdings date back to the 18th century – the Dutch colonial period in Guyanese history. [5]

The Guyana Immigration Records Digitization Project

In 2013, the National Archives of Guyana launched The Guyana Immigration Records Digitization Project. [6] It is an online search tool for the archives. Phase 1 of the project was to have all the data digitized by the end of 2014. Unfortunately, most data has not been digitized as of 2017 (four years after the launch date). Phase 2 was to have digital images of the records on the search engine, unfortunately, this phase has not begun at all. [7] The public has demanded this online search tool to create since 2002. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgetown, Guyana</span> Capital of Guyana

Georgetown is the capital and largest city of Guyana. It is situated in Demerara-Mahaica, region 4, on the Atlantic Ocean coast, at the mouth of the Demerara River. It is nicknamed the "Garden City of the Caribbean." It is the retail, administrative, and financial services centre of the country, and the city accounts for a large portion of Guyana's GDP. The city recorded a population of 118,363 in the 2012 census.

Guyanese culture reflects the influence of African, Indian, Amerindian, British, Portuguese, Chinese, Creole, and Dutch cultures. Guyana is part of the mainland Caribbean region. Guyanese culture shares a continuum with the cultures of islands in the West Indies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Rodney</span> Guyanese politician, activist and historian

Walter Anthony Rodney was a Guyanese historian, political activist and academic. His notable works include How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, first published in 1972. Rodney was assassinated in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forbes Burnham</span> Leader of Guyana from 1964 to 1985

Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was a Guyanese politician and the leader of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana from 1964 until his death in 1985. He served as Premier of British Guiana from 1964 to 1966, Prime Minister of Guyana from 1964 to 1980 and then as the first Executive President of Guyana from 1980 to 1985. He is often regarded as a strongman who embraced his own version of socialism.

Guyanese literature covers works including novels, poetry, plays and others written by people born or strongly-affiliated with Guyana. Formerly British Guiana, British language and style has an enduring impact on the writings from Guyana, which are done in English language and utilizing Guyanese Creole. Emigration has contributed to a large body of work relating the Guyanese diaspora experience.

Eusi Kwayana, formerly Sydney King, is a Guyanese politician. A cabinet minister in the People's Progressive Party (PPP) government of 1953, he was detained by the British Army in 1954. Later he left the PPP to form ASCRIA, a Pan-Africanist grassroots political group that, after a brief flirtation with the People's National Congress (PNC) of Forbes Burnham, fused into the Working People's Alliance (WPA). Kwayana is also a playwright.

Aishalton is an Amerindian village that is situated in the Rupununi savannah of southern Guyana, in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Cultural Centre (Guyana)</span> Building in Georgetown, Guyana

The National Cultural Centre, the premier auditorium for cultural presentations in Georgetown, Guyana. It is on Homestretch Avenue, in D’Urban Park. It hosts theatre, music, and dance as well as other events.

Ruel Johnson is a Guyanese author.

Religion is an important aspect of identity and society in Guyana. In 2012 the population was 63% Christian, 25% Hindu, 7% Muslim. Religions are reflected by East Indian, African, Chinese, and European ancestry, as well as a significant indigenous population. Members of all ethnic groups are well represented in all religious groups, with two exceptions: most Hindus are Indo-Guyanese, and nearly all Rastafarians are Afro-Guyanese people. Foreign missionaries from many religious groups are present. Christianity has historically been associated with Afro-Guyanese.

Andrew Morrison, SJ was a Guyanese Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, journalist, and pro-democracy activist.

Sophia is a ward of Georgetown, the capital of Guyana. It's a predominantly Afro-Guyanese community, and one of Georgetown's poorest neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Simon (artist)</span> Guyanese artist and archaeologist (1947–2020)

George Simon was a Guyanese Lokono Arawak artist and archaeologist. He was the founder and mentor of the Lokono Artists Group, a group of Lokono artists from Guyana, based primarily in his hometown of St. Cuthbert's Mission. Simon was widely regarded as one of the leading Guyanese artists of his generation, and his paintings are notable for their explorations of Amerindian culture and the Guyanese environment. He was also recognized for his achievements as an educator, his efforts to develop opportunities for Amerindian artists in Guyana, and for his work as an archaeologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana</span> Ongoing COVID-19 viral pandemic in Guyana

The COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Guyana on 11 March 2020. The first case was a woman who travelled from New York, a 52-year-old woman with underlying health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension. The woman died at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Arnold Gibbons is a Guyanese cricketer and professor of communications. He played in two first-class matches for British Guiana in 1952/53 and 1953/54.

Clive Youlande Thomas is a Guyanese economics professor and political activist. He publishes on issues relating to development and poverty eradication in Guyana and the greater Caribbean region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Hamilton (politician)</span> Guyanese politician

Joseph Linden Fitzclarence Hamilton is a Guyanese politician. Hamilton was born Triumph, British Guiana. Between 1977 and 1987, Hamilton was a priest of the House of Israel. At the 2014 Walter Rodney inquiry, Hamilton testified that the House of Israel committed “oppressive and terrorizing acts on behalf of the People's National Congress (PNC).”

Tchaiko Ruramai Kwayana, born Ann Cook, was an educator, pan-Africanist, and civil rights activist from Georgia, US. She was married to Eusi Kwayana, Guyanese politician.

St. Ignatius is an Amerindian village in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo region of Guyana, near the regional capital Lethem and the border of Brazil. It was originally a mission founded by Jesuit priests to serve the Amerindians in the Rupununi savannah.

References

  1. 1 2 Stephenson, Yvonne V. (1993). "Guyana". In Robert Wedgeworth (ed.). World Encyclopedia of Libraries and Information Services. ALA Editions. pp. 332–333. ISBN   9780838906095.
  2. 1 2 3 Department of Culture. "The National Archives: Conserving the Nation's Heritage". Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  3. 1 2 GINA (3 February 2012). "It's a storehouse of Guyanese treasures". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  4. 1 2 Stabroek Staff (12 October 2008). "Naming the Archives". Stabroek News. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  5. Knews (19 April 2010). "National Archives looking to expand with local and overseas support". Kaieteur News. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  6. "National Archives of Guyana". guyananationalarchives.com. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
  7. Jason Yhap (2013-05-14), Launching of The Guyana National Archives Web Portal , retrieved 2017-08-04
  8. "Archive: Indian Indenture Database Project – Guyana News and Information Discussion Forums". www.guyana.org. Retrieved 2017-08-04.