Northern Rhodesia Journal

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Format

The Journal is quarto in size.

The first two volumes comprised six "Numbers" each, and the page numbering started with 1 for each Number. For the remaining four volumes (the first three of which also had six Numbers) the pages in each volume were numbered continuously, started with page 1 in Number 1 of each volume. The final volume (VI) had but three Numbers, the pages numbered continuously, started with page 1 in Number 1, and, as it was produced after Independence, was titled The Zambia Northern Rhodesia Journal. [1] [3]

Purpose

From the "Editorial" of the first issue:-

The difficulty is to state in a succinct fashion what our policy really is. It is easy to classify journals with restricted outlooks such as those concerned only with anthropological or agricultural or natural history interests. We too shall deal with all those topics but generally speaking we hope to draw into our net a catch of such variety that it cannot be easily classified.

We hope to bring to the general reader glimpses of the past history of this country and to place on record the events that have made recent history ; we shall relate the memoirs of men who have helped to mould the shape of our lives here or of men who have interesting tales to tell ; we shall open our columns to those who want to discuss facets of the wealth of animal and plant life of the Territory ; we shall write on the vast and variegated native culture that impinges on us at all times ; and, in fact, we shall be glad to publish anything of Northern Rhodesian interest that we believe to be of permanent or of literary value.

Significance

The Journal had no cut-off dates; it covered ancient history right through to its "present day" (1965). One period of significant history which is covered is often called the period of welfare colonialism because of the impact of the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts of 1940 and 1945. These Acts were products of the same impulses which drove the Beveridge Report and the creation of the Welfare State in Britain after the Second World War. The NRJ documents the remarkable results of the investments made under the provisions of the Acts in Northern Rhodesia, which added enhanced educational, health and agricultural development services to the settled peace and impartial rule of law that the Colonial Service provided and which was a fundamental reason for the popular support documented by historians among the African populations. It was the loss of that impartiality which was most bitterly regretted after independence, especially in Barotseland, which became the Western Province of Zambia, and which felt itself to be systematically discriminated against by the independent government. The resentment still smoulders. [4]

The current retreat from ideological 'development', not least because of the evidence of unintended bad consequences of 'development' aid, [5] and the rediscovery of the importance of practical, grass-roots, value for money help, makes the case-evidence of contemporary journals like the NRJ especially valuable sources for organisations like Oxfam or the Department for International Development.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

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Rhodesia, officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the de facto successor state to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia, which had been self-governing since achieving responsible government in 1923. A landlocked nation, Rhodesia was bordered by South Africa to the south, Bechuanaland to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east. From 1965 to 1979, Rhodesia was one of two independent states on the African continent governed by a white minority of European descent and culture, the other being South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Rhodesia</span> 1911–1964 British protectorate in Southern Africa

Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. It was formed in 1911 by amalgamating the two earlier protectorates of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia. It was initially administered, as were the two earlier protectorates, by the British South Africa Company (BSAC), a chartered company, on behalf of the British Government. From 1924, it was administered by the British Government as a protectorate, under similar conditions to other British-administered protectorates, and the special provisions required when it was administered by BSAC were terminated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Rhodesia</span> British colony in Africa, 1923 to 1965

Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as south Zambesia until annexed by Britain at the behest of Cecil Rhodes's British South Africa Company, for whom the colony was named. The bounding territories were Bechuanaland (Botswana), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Portuguese Mozambique (Mozambique), and the Transvaal Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence</span> 1965 statement on independence from the UK

Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was a statement adopted by the Cabinet of Rhodesia on 11 November 1965, announcing that Rhodesia a British territory in southern Africa that had governed itself since 1923, now regarded itself as an independent sovereign state. The culmination of a protracted dispute between the British and Rhodesian governments regarding the terms under which the latter could become fully independent, it was the first unilateral break from the United Kingdom by one of its colonies since the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. The UK, the Commonwealth and the United Nations all deemed Rhodesia's UDI illegal, and economic sanctions, the first in the UN's history, were imposed on the breakaway colony. Amid near-complete international isolation, Rhodesia continued as an unrecognised state with the assistance of South Africa and Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Rhodesia</span> Head of government of Rhodesia

The prime minister of Rhodesia was the head of government of Rhodesia. Rhodesia, which had become a self-governing colony of the United Kingdom in 1923, unilaterally declared independence on 11 November 1965, and was thereafter an unrecognized state until 1979. In December 1979, the country came under temporary British control, and in April 1980 the country gained recognized independence as Zimbabwe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British South Africa Company</span> 1889–1965 British mining and colonial enterprises company

The British South Africa Company was chartered in 1889 following the amalgamation of Cecil Rhodes' Central Search Association and the London-based Exploring Company Ltd, which had originally competed to capitalize on the expected mineral wealth of Mashonaland but united because of common economic interests and to secure British government backing. The company received a Royal Charter modelled on that of the British East India Company. Its first directors included The 2nd Duke of Abercorn, Rhodes himself, and the South African financier Alfred Beit. Rhodes hoped BSAC would promote colonisation and economic exploitation across much of south-central Africa, as part of the "Scramble for Africa". However, his main focus was south of the Zambezi, in Mashonaland and the coastal areas to its east, from which he believed the Portuguese could be removed by payment or force, and in the Transvaal, which he hoped would return to British control.

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A major strike broke out among African mineworkers in the Copperbelt Province of Northern Rhodesia on 29 May 1935 in protest against taxes levied by the British colonial administration. The strike involved three of the province's four major copper mines: those in Mufulira, Nkana and Roan Antelope. Near the latter, six protesters were killed by police and the strike ended. Although it failed, the strike was the first organized industrial agitation in Northern Rhodesia and is viewed by some as the first overt action against colonial rule. It caught the attention of a number of African townsmen, leading to the creation of trade unions and African nationalist politics, and is seen as the birth of African nationalism.

Goffals or Coloured Zimbabweans are persons of mixed race, predominately those claiming both European and African descent, in Malawi, Zambia, and, particularly Zimbabwe. They are generally known as Coloureds, though the term Goffal is used by some in the Coloured community to refer to themselves, though this does not refer to the mixed-race community in nearby South Africa. The community includes many diverse constituents of Shona, Northern Ndebele, Bemba, Fengu, British, Afrikaner, Cape Coloured, Cape Malay and less commonly Portuguese, Greek, Goan, and Indian descent. Similar mixed-race communities exist throughout Southern Africa, notably the Cape Coloureds of South Africa.

Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe was a prominent Zambian politician, anti-colonialist, and author, born on April 12, 1922. Kapwepwe made significant contributions towards Zambia's struggle for independence, working tirelessly towards achieving the country's liberation from colonial rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Rhodesian constitutional referendum</span>

A double referendum was held in Rhodesia on 20 June 1969, in which voters were asked whether they were in favour of or against a) the adoption of a republican form of government, and b) the proposals for a new Constitution, as set out in a white paper and published in a Gazette Extraordinary on 21 May 1969. Both proposals were approved. The country was subsequently declared a republic on 2 March 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livingstone Museum</span> Museum

The Livingstone Museum, formerly the David Livingstone Memorial Museum and after that, the Rhodes-Livingstone Museum, is the largest and the oldest museum in Zambia, located in Livingstone near Victoria Falls. The museum has exhibits of artifacts related to local history and prehistory, including photographs and musical instruments, and also holds possessions and memorabilia - including letters and journals - of David Livingstone, the explorer and missionary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland</span> British territory from 1953 to 1963

The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation (CAF), was a colonial federation that consisted of three southern African territories: the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It existed between 1953 and 1963.

The Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) is a Zambian television and radio station, formerly state owned, now technically a statutory body but still essentially under government control. It is the oldest, widest, and largest radio and television service provider in Zambia. It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1987, which was passed to transform the Zambia Broadcasting Services from being a Government Department under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services into a statutory body called the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public holidays in Rhodesia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Southern Rhodesia</span> Flag of a British colony

The flag of Southern Rhodesia was a blue ensign, later changed to a sky-blue ensign, with the coat of arms of Southern Rhodesia on it. The flag was in use in Southern Rhodesia from 1924 to 1953 and from 1963 to 1965. It was also used by the unrecognised Rhodesia from 1965 to 1968. The flag was initially used unofficially internally before being approved for use outside of the colony by the Colonial Office in 1937. The colour was changed to sky blue in 1964 to protest the treatment of Southern Rhodesia after its inclusion in the failed Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bledisloe Commission</span> 1937–9 Royal Commission examining the potential Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

The Bledisloe Commission, also known as the Rhodesia-Nyasaland Royal Commission, was a Royal Commission, appointed in 1937 and undertaking its enquiries between 1937 and 1939. to examine the possible closer union of the three British territories in Central Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. These territories were to some degree economically inter-dependent, and it was suggested that an association would promote their rapid development. Its chairman was Lord Bledisloe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Africa Party</span>

The Central Africa Party was a multi-racial political party in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The party organised separately in the three constituent part of the federation, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia.

Timeline of Zambia (Northern Rhodesia)

References

  1. 1 2 "New Page 1". Nrzam.org.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  2. "Northern Rhodesia Journal as text - Home". Spanglefish.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  3. "Northern Rhodesia Journal as text - Home". Spanglefish.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  4. "Kingdom seeking to leave Zambia". Bbc.co.uk. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  5. Easterly, William (2006). The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have done so much ill and so little Good. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-921082-9.