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Series I: C. L. R. James, 1974-1990, 2003
Series II: Politics and Activism, 1969-2008
Series V: Personal, circa 1961-2000, undated

Darcus Howe papers, 1965-2008

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Series III: Race Today Collective and C. L. R. James Institute, 1971-1996

Series III includes material associated with the Race Today Collective and its successor organization, the C. L. R. James Institute. Documentation of the Race Today Collective's activities includes bylaws and budget information from circa 1978, audiotapes of Collective meetings and literature study sessions from the late 1980s, and some Race Today editorial correspondence. The latter comprises primarily reprinting permissions and letters to the editor, as well as routine correspondence related to secretarial work and some general discussion of political issues in Trinidad and Tobago and other former British colonies in the Caribbean and Africa. There is a full run of the journal Race Today and a small number of Race Today Publications monographs. A comparatively large group of material related to the United States' 1983 invasion of Grenada includes diaries kept by Race Today Collective member Gus John and a person called Christine in Carriacou documenting the situation in Grenada. This series also contains four folders of Darcus Howe Action Committee material. Finally, there is material related to the Collective's 1991 dissolution and reconstitution as the C. L. R. James Institute, circa 1991-1996. These include meeting minutes, plans and applications for charity status, and even architectural drawings of a proposed cultural center and cafe. The relationship between this C. L. R. James Institute and the one founded in New York City in 1984—if any—is unclear.

Subseries III.1: Race Today Collective, 1971-1991


Box 6 Folder 12 Community Relations Commission and Race Relations Board, 1971-1973

Box 6 Folder 13 A. Sivanandan, Race and Resistance: The IRR Story (London: Race Today Publications), 1974


Box 11 Folder 12-20 Race Today , 1974-1982, 1988, 9 folders; 8 bound volumes and one staple-bound publication.

Digitized with funding from a Columbia University Libraries Primary Resources Grant, 2021, and available through CLIO: Race Today, volume 6-14, 18


Box 6 Folder 14 Selma James, with contributions from Barbara Beese, Mala Dhondy and Darcus Howe, Sex, Race and Class (London: Race Today Publications), 1975 February

With a photocopy of the edited typescript.

Box 6 Folder 15 Race Today Women's Collective, "Black Women in Britain: The Race Today Perspective", 1975 April

Box 6 Folder 16-17 Race Today Collective general correspondence, 1976-1988, 2 folders

Box 6 Folder 18 Race Today editorial correspondence, 1976-1986, undated

Box 6 Folder 19 Employment references, 1976-1978, 1986

Box 6 Folder 20 Rules of Race Today Collective Limited, 1978 March 17


Box 7 Folder 1 Darcus Howe Action Committee leaflets, press statements, and minutes, 1977-1981

Box 7 Folder 2 Darcus Howe Action Committee correspondence, 1977-1980

Box 7 Folder 3 Darcus Howe Action Committee court statements, 1978, 1980

Box 7 Folder 4 Darcus Howe Action Committee finances, 1980

Box 7 Folder 5 Bradford Black Conference, 1978

Box 7 Folder 6 "Some Aspects of Jamaican Theatre and Women's Role In It" interview with Honor Ford Smith, circa 1980, Edited typescript.

Box 7 Folder 7 Darcus Howe, article drafts for Race Today, circa 1980s


Box 12 Item 122 Unidentified meeting, possibly of Race Today Collective or C. L. R. James Institute, circa 1980s-1990s, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 15-16 Finance meeting, 1981 September 6, undated, 2 audiocassettes


Box 7 Folder 8 Alliance of the Black Parents Movement, The Black Youth Movement, Race Today Collective and Bradford Black Collective, "The Grenada Revolution" and "Guyana: The Terror and the Time" bulletins, 1979 April, November


Box 12 Item 131 Darcus Howe and others speak at Camden book fair on pan-Africanism, movement building, and Socialist revolution, circa 1982-1995, 1 audiocassettes

Likely at an International Book Fair of Radical Black and Third World Books.


Box 7 Folder 9 Newsletters on the Guyanese bauxite workers' strike, 1982-1983

Publications include Open Word, Dayclean, and the Catholic Standard.

Box 7 Folder 10 Grenada New JEWEL Movement Central Committee minutes, 1983

With annotations by Darcus Howe. Also includes minutes of a Committee for Labour Solidarity meeting, 1983 December 11.

Box 7 Folder 11 Grenada diary, Christine in Carriacou, 1983

Box 7 Folder 12 Grenada diary, Gus John, 1983

Box 7 Folder 13 Statements and addresses on Grenada, 1983, undated

Box 7 Folder 14 Printed material on Grenada, 1983-1985

Clippings and publications by the Race Today Collective, Oilfields Workers Trade Union, Raya Dunaevskaya, and others.

Box 7 Folder 15 New Cross Massacre Action Committee, "Declaration of New Cross", 1981 March 2

Box 7 Folder 16 The New Cross Massacre Story: Interviews with John La Rose (London: Alliance of the Black Parents Movement, Black Youth Movement and the Race Today Collective), 1984


Box 12 Item 3 John LaRose, New Cross, Radio London, 1985 August 21, 1 audiocassettes


Box 8 Folder 1 Race Today Collective, The Struggle of Asian Workers in Britain (London: Race Today Publications), 1983

Box 8 Folder 2 C. L. R. James, A History of Negro Revolt (London: Race Today Publications), 1985 October

Box 8 Folder 3 Darcus Howe, Black Sections in the Labour Party (London: Race Today Publications), 1985 March

Clippings, typed notes, draft, and Race Today publication by Darcus Howe.

Box 8 Folder 4 Transcript of Caribbean in Crisis forum discussion opening remarks by Darcus Howe, 1985 March 17

Given at the Fourth International Book Fair on Radical, Black and Third World Books.


Box 12 Item 62 Caribbean in Crisis Bookfair forum: Film evening, 1985 March 17, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 65 India: The Crisis to Come Bookfair forum, Tariq Ali, 1985 March 17, 1 audiocassettes


Box 8 Folder 5 International Book Fair of Radical, Black and Third World Books programs and flyers, 1985, 1989

Box 8 Folder 6 Michael Smith, It A Come: Poems, edited by Mervyn Morris (London: Race Today Publications), 1986

Box 8 Folder 7 Race Today Collective photographs, circa 1986

Events and offices.

Box 8 Folder 8 Race Today Seminar on Black Aesthetic transcript, circa 1987

With Aubrey Williams and Imruh Bakari, following a screening of Bakari's film about Williams, "The Mark of a Hand."

Box 8 Folder 9 Race Today Collective, The Arrivants: A Pictorial Essay on Blacks in Britain (London: Race Today Publications), 1987 March

Box 8 Folder 10 Tim Hector and The Outlet, 1987, 2002

Box 8 Folder 11 Darcus Howe, "Radical Politics in the United States," transcript of speech given at Race Today event at Lambeth Town Hall, 1988 May 26

Box 8 Folder 12 From Bobby to Babylon publications, 1980, 1982, 1988

Includes Parts 2 and 3 of original Race Today "From Bobby to Babylon" series (1980 November and 1982 February issues), and paperback printed book.

Box 8 Folder 13 From Bobby to Babylon drafts, circa 1987

Box 8 Folder 14 From Bobby to Babylon galleys, 1988


Box 9 Folder 1 Jean Binta Breeze, 1988-1989

Poem typescripts, correspondence, and photographs and program from poetry tour with Ntozake Shange.

Box 9 Folder 2 Patricia Dick, 1988, undated

Box 9 Folder 3 Race Today Collective reorganization, 1988-1990

Box 9 Folder 4 Race Today Publications rights and permissions, 1989-1993

Box 9 Folder 5 Race Today Collective office reports from Marva Spencer, 1989 October-1990 January


Box 12 Item 61 Business meeting, 1990 February 2, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 35 Commission of Inquiry, 1990 July 18, October 28, 1 audiocassettes


Box 9 Folder 6 10th Anniversary New Cross Massacre Action Committee, 1991 March 2

Box 9 Folder 7 "Florida Statement" on Race Today Collective dissolution, circa 1990

Box 9 Folder 8 Race Today Collective dissolution, 1991 April


Box 12 Item 92 Interview with Darcus Howe for Race Today, undated, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 112, 127 Program on poets James Berry, Jean Binta Breeze, Fred Degas, undated, 2 audiocassettes; 112 Side 1 and 127 Side 2 are duplicates.

Subseries III.2: C. L. R. James Institute, 1983, 1990-1996


Box 9 Folder 9 C. L. R. James Institute correspondence, 1983, 1990-1994


Box 12 Item 18-33 Nkrumah and the Ghana Revolution , 1990 September 29-1992 February 9, 16 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 130 Meeting, possibly of C. L. R. James Institute, planning for Nkrumah event, circa 1990-1992, 1 audiocassettes; Side 1

Box 12 Item 58 Sunday meeting: Report for D, 1991 February 22, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 43 Nkrumah and the Ghana Revolution: C. L. R. James Institute, 1991 March 17, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 79 Sunday meeting, 1991 March 24, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 85 Sunday meeting, 1991 April 7, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 68 The Myth: Nkrumah and the Ghana Revolution meeting, 1991 April 21, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 100 Sunday meeting, Political Policy Statement, 1991 May 12, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 2 Ntozake Shange discussion with Darcus Howe and C. L. R. James Institute, 1991 June 14, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 17 Chapter five, 1991 July 7, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 66 Sunday meeting, 1991 July 21, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 75 Nkrumah: Discussion of programme for re-reading, D's absence, 1991 September 1, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 73 Political statement, agenda (Leila's), 1991 September 8, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 9-13 "Every Cook Can Govern", 1991 September 22-November 3, 5 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 96 Committee meeting, 1991 September 26, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 67 Sunday meeting: Report for D, 1991 December 15, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 42 Sunday meeting: Fundraising, Publication reports, 1992 January 19, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 51 Festival meeting, 1992 April 12, 1 audiocassettes


Box 9 Folder 10 C. L. R. James biographies and bibliography, 1992, undated

Box 9 Folder 11 C. L. R. James Festival planning, 1992

Box 9 Folder 12 C. L. R. James Institute meetings, 1992-1996

Box 9 Folder 13 C. L. R. James Institute founding documents and Bulletins, 1993-1994


Box 10 Folder 1 Proposed C. L. R. James Arts & Media Centre, Brixton, 1993-1994

Box 10 Folder 2 Drawings and plans for proposed C. L. R. James Arts & Media Centre, Brixton, 1993, undated

Box 10 Folder 3 Charities Aid Foundation donations to C. L. R. James Foundation, 1993-1995


Box 12 Item 86 Sunday meeting (Nkrumah doc) assessment of study/writing, undated, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 105 Darcus Howe, Nkrumah and the Ghana Revolution, class 1, undated, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 89 C. L. R. Nkrumah Lesson 3, undated, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 41 Ntozake Shange interview with Kay Bonetti, undated, 1 audiocassettes

American Audiovisual Library, 48 minutes.

Box 12 Item 59 Shange's Betsey Brown, undated, 1 audiocassettes

Box 12 Item 130 Ntozake Shange interview, undated, 1 audiocassettes; Side 2