James, Cyril Lionel Robert (CLR) (1901-1989)

IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

Reference code(s): ICS 140

Title: James, Cyril Lionel Robert (CLR) (1901-1989)

Date(s): 1940 - 1965

Level of description: Fond

Extent and medium of the unit of description: 3 boxes (0.03 cubic metres)

CONTEXT AREA

Name of creator(s): James, Cyril Lionel Robert, 1901-1989, writer and political activist

Administrative/Biographical history: Cyril Lionel Robert (CLR) James was born in Trinidad on 4 January 1901. He trained as a teacher and worked as a teacher and journalist in Trinidad. James left Trinidad in 1932 at the instigation of the cricketer Learie Constantine (later Lord Constantine) and went to stay with him in Nelson, Lancashire. He worked as a cricket correspondent for the Manchester Guardian, 1933-1935, and also became a prominent member of the Trotskyist movement. For a time he was a member of the Independent Labour Party, and he campaigned actively against the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. He moved to the United States in 1938, and spent 15 years there writing and lecturing mainly on the Pan-African Movement. He left the Trotskyist movement in 1951, though he remained a convinced Marxist. He was expelled from the US because of his Communist views in 1953, returned to Britain and became active in the African independence movement. In 1958 he returned to Trinidad at the invitation of Dr Eric Williams, to edit the People's National Party newspaper. He also became secretary of the West Indies Federal Labour Party, and campaigned unsuccessfully against the break-up of the Federation of the West Indies. James soon quarrelled with Williams, and left Trinidad in 1963. In the 1960s and 1970s he lectured extensively in the United States and Europe. In 1963 he published 'Beyond a Boundary' which explored the place of cricket in popular culture, especially in the colonial context, regarded by many as the greatest book ever written about cricket. He died in Brixton, London in 1989.

Archival history: The papers were deposited at the ICS by C L R James in 1966.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer:

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

Scope and content: Papers of Cyril Lionel Robert (CLR) James on Caribbean politics, 1940-1965; comprising papers on West Indian Federation, 1958-1962; West Indian Federal Labour Party (WIFLP) correspondence, 1958-1961, including correspondence with Norman W Manley, on Federation, politics in Trinidad and Jamaica, illegal voting at Jamaican elections, and James's resignation as Secretary of WFILP; papers on the University of the West Indies, 1962-1963; papers on political parties and trade unions in Barbados, 1940-1964; papers on politics in British Guiana, 1958-1963; papers on politics in Grenada, 1957; papers on politics in Jamaica, 1952-1963; papers on the People's National Movement, Trinidad, 1957-1962, including correspondence on James's appearance before the Disciplinary Committee, 1961; papers on the West Indian Independence Party, Trinidad, 1955-1956; papers on Sugar workers in Trinidad, 1963-1964; papers on Oil workers in Trinidad, 1954-1960; papers on West Indian organisations in Britain, 1963 (Union of West Indian Students, West Indian Editorial Committee, West Indies Committee for National Sovereignty, West Indies Committee for Peace and Sovereignty); lectures and essays by various authors; papers on arts and literature in the West Indies, 1957-1963; personal correspondence, 1959-1960; copies of publications by James.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

System of arrangement: Papers are arranged in 11 series. A: West Indies, B: Barbados, C: British Guiana, D: Grenada, E: Jamaica, F: Trinidad, G West Indian Organisations in Britain, H: lectures and essays, I: Arts and Literature in the West Indies, J; Personal Correspondence, K: Publications.

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE AREA

Conditions governing access:

Conditions governing reproduction:

Language/scripts of material: English

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids: Descriptive List available in the ICS Library

ALLIED MATERIALS AREA

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related units of description:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION CONTROL AREA

Recorder's note:

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: February 2002

Interest: Caribbean

Specific group:

Subjects

Plantation economy

Arts

Caribbean Literature

Colonialism

Labour relations

Trade unions

Political science

Politics

Government

Political institutions

Educational levels

Higher education

Federation

Colonial countries

Decolonization

Collectivism

Communism

Political systems

Political doctrines

Imperialism

Human rights

Civil and political rights

Personal/Corporate names

James Cyril Lionel Robert, 1901-1989 writer and political activist

Manley Norman Washington, 1893-1969, Jamaican politician

People's National Movement, Trinidad

Union of West Indian Students

University of the West Indies

West Indian Editorial Committee

West Indian Federal Labour Party

West Indian Independence Party, Trinidad

West Indies Committee for Peace and Sovereignty

Places

Trinidad and Tobago

Jamaica

South America

Guyana

Grenada

Caribbean

Barbados