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Sources for Cameroonian colonial history in Western archives and libraries
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 April 2022
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Despite the publication of several excellent guides to colonial materials and Africana collections held in Western libraries, locating suitable archival sources for Cameroonian colonial history remains a challenge. While some documentation continues to reside in Cameroon itself, the bulk of material from the colonial period can be found in a series of Western libraries and archives scattered across Europe and the United States. The following introductory guide, based on my own research and correspondence with the institutions in question, is intended to help other researchers locate archival materials of interest to their work.
Shortly after the German Colonial Society was disbanded the University of Frankfurt acquired its extensive library of colonial materials and integrated them into its own collection. Consequently, Frankfurt is by far the best source for locating published materials on the German colonial empire.
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1. Some recent examples include McIlwaine, John Writings on African archives, New York: Hans Zell, 1996Google Scholar; French, Tom , The SCOLMA directory of libraries and special collections on Africa in the United Kingdom and in Europe, 5th ed. New York: Hans Zell, 1993Google Scholar; Gosebrink, Jean E. African studies information resources directory, New York: Hans Zell, 1986Google Scholar; Thurston, Anne Sources for colonial studies in the Public Record Office, Vol. 1: Records of the Colonial Office, Dominions Office, Commonwealth Relations Office and Commonwealth Office, London: HMSO, 1995Google Scholar; and Westfall, Gloria French colonial Africa: a guide to official sources, London: Hans Zell, 1992Google Scholar.
2. For a discussion of the condition and types of materials held in Cameroonian archives, see Orosz, Kenneth J. ‘Colonial archives in Cameroon’, ARD 71, 1996, pp. 33-40Google Scholar, and Ralph A., Ralph A., ‘The National Archives of Cameroon’, History in Africa, 1, 1974, pp. 153-155.Google Scholar
3. Frankfurt is the only place in Germany where copies of the Kamerun-Post are available.
4. Charles Weber’s recent work provides the most complete study of Baptist missionary efforts in colonial Cameroon. Of perhaps greater importance, however, is the fact that his study is the first to rely on the archival collections of the North American Baptist Seminary. See Weber, Charles W. International Influences and Baptist Mission in West Cameroon Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1993Google Scholar.
5. For a more extensive discussion of the problems of doing Baptist history in Cameroon see Weber’s preface, especially pp. ix-xii.
6. See Mveng’s, Engelbert ‘Les sources de l’histoire du Cameroun’ Abbia (1969) pp. 127-137 provides a bibliography of published werks by Pallotine missionaries.Google Scholar
7. After 1921 the Kameruner Missionskalender changed its name to the Pallotiner Missionskalender.
8. The published versions of these yearly reports appeared under several titles. From 1894 to 1907 they were published as the Jahresbericht über die Entwicklung der deutschen Schutzgebieten. In 1908 the name was changed to Denkschrift uber die Entwicklung der deutschen Schutzgebieten. The following year the title was changed again to its final form, Die deutschen Schutzgebieten in Afrika und der Sudsee.
9. For a better indication of the types of materials held in the Potsdam archive See see Markov, P. , ‘West African History in German Archives’ Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria 2(4), 1963, pp. 602-605.Google Scholar Markov’s claim that the administrative records of Togo and Cameroon are to be found in Koblenz is, however, no longer true; all colonial records held by the Bundesarchiv are now located in Potsdam.
10. Jenkins, Paul and Haas, Waltraud, Guide to the Basel Mission’s Cameroon Archive Basel: Basel Mission, 1988Google Scholar. Copies are still available for sale in the Mission’s publications office for 18 SFr.
11. See Merrier, Marie-Antoinette, ‘Cent Ans dans l’Histoire des Archives de la Colonisation’ La Gazette des Archives 139, 1987, pp. 207-222Google Scholar, and Clair, Sylvie , ‘Le Centre des Archives d’Outre-Mer’ La Gazette des Archives 142-143, 1988, pp. 5-17CrossRefGoogle Scholar, for a discussion of the current holdings of the Archives Nationales depot in Aix. Although dated, two other important articles concerning official documentation on the French colonial empire include Carlo Larouche, ‘Les Archives d’Outre-Mer et l’Histoire Coloniale Française’ Revue Historique 206, 1951, pp. 215-253Google Scholar, and Confer, Vincent ‘The Dépôt in Aix and Archival Sources for France Outre-Mer’ French Historical Studies 6, 1969, pp. 120-126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Although somewhat dated, Donald Leopard’s description of the DÉFAP library still provides a good general overview of its holdings. See Leopard, Donald D., ‘African-Related Materials in European Missionary Archives’ African Studies Bulletin 10 (2), September 1967, pp. 1-5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Guide to the Microform Collection of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society Archives 1822-1935 Zug, Switzerland: Inter Documentation Company, 1987.Google Scholar
14. One of the more useful of these works is Jean Criaud’s La Geste des Spiritains: Histoire de l’Eglise au Cameroun 1916-1990 Paris: Congregation du Saint Esprit, 1990.Google Scholar
15. Anderson, David M. and Seton, Rosemary provide a much more detailed description of the SOAS library holdings in their article entitled ‘Archives and Manuscripts Collections Relating to Africa Held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London’ History in Africa 22, 1995, pp. 45-60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Jr.Heuser, Frederick J. A Guide to Foreign Missionary Manuscripts in the Presbyterian Historical Society NY: Greenwood Press, 1988.Google Scholar
17. Weber, loc. cit.