Archive on black freedom activist
The University of Stirling are looking to make a historic archive which chronicles a Doune soldier’s support of independence in Southern Africa digitally accessible.
The Peter Mackay Archive contains a detailed account of the life of the late soldier-turned-activist who fought for black freedom in Rhodesia after quitting the British Army in the 1950s.
And the university is using crowdfunding in a bid to bring to life the collection, which was donated by the Mackay family three years ago – the year he passed away aged 87.
The archive provides a comprehensive record of the man’s journalism, political activism, travel, photography and charity work and is currently housed in more than 30 large crates.
However, experts believe the collection is invaluable to maintaining a record of the struggle for freedom in a number of Southern African countries, including Zimbabwe and Malawi, and want to make it digitally accessible around the world.
Karl Magee, head archivist at the university said: “The Pater Mackay Archive is of international importance and provides a comprehensive record of a remarkable life and the role one Scot played in the independence movement across Southern Africa from the 1950s.
“Mackay played a crucial role in the liberation of Zimbabwe but his stories have not yet been fully told. We want to make Mackay’s personal and political papers, and photography, accessible to scholars and students in Africa and open up one of the most important collections of its kind, to the rest of the world.”
Stuart Rennie, fundraising manager at the university, said: “The funds we raise will allow the university to catalogue all of the materials received and make them available in our archive reading room on campus and online.
“We will be crowdfunding for the first time to give anyone who wants to play a small part in preserving this important collection the ability to pledge to the campaign and help make its restoration possible.”
Those who donate £10 will received updates and commentary from the archivist while those who give £25 will receive an invitation to the exhibition launch. Individuals who donate £100 will have their name inscribed on a catalogued box of the archive and those who give £250 will receive a limited edition framed photograph of their choice from the collection.
To help crowdfund or to find out more on the Peter Mackay Archive go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ petermackay.