Essays of Edgar Brookes

Papers of Dr Edgar Brookes, consisting of brief essays and a pamphlet. The pamphlet, 'Three Letters from Africa' (1955), is dedicated to his former students. The essays date from 1970 when Dr Brookes served on the Study Project of Christianity in Apartheid Society (SPRO-CAS) Political Commission; the seven essays are entitled 'Is white South Africa expendable?' (14 pp., typescript).

Dr Edgar Brookes was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire. Brookes came with his parents to Natal in 1901. He matriculated at Maritzburg College in 1911 and from 1920-1933 taught political science at the University of Pretoria. He was a founder-member of the South African Institute of Race Relations and in 1927 Hertzog appointed him to the South African delegation to the League of Nations. He played an active role in the development of African education and was President of Adams College, 1933-1945. He was elected to the South African Senate as a representative of the Africans of Natal and Zululand in 1937 and served three terms in office until he had to retire from ill health in 1952. He was also a member of the Native Affairs Commission during World War II. In 1952 he returned to Natal and became Professor of History and Political Studies at the University of Natal. Though one of the most influential of the South African liberals, he did not join the Liberal Party until 1962, for its constitutional proposals went far beyond the ideas of those who thought in terms of the old institutions of Cape liberalism.

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Dr Edgar Brookes was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire. Brookes came with his parents to Natal in 1901. He matriculated at Maritzburg College in 1911 and from 1920-1933 taught political science at the University of Pretoria. He was a founder-member of the South African Institute of Race Relations and in 1927 Hertzog appointed him to the South African delegation to the League of Nations. He played an active role in the development of African education and was President of Adams College, 1933-1945. He was elected to the South African Senate as a representative of the Africans of Natal and Zululand in 1937 and served three terms in office until he had to retire from ill health in 1952. He was also a member of the Native Affairs Commission during World War II. In 1952 he returned to Natal and became Professor of History and Political Studies at the University of Natal. Though one of the most influential of the South African liberals, he did not join the Liberal Party until 1962, for its constitutional proposals went far beyond the ideas of those who thought in terms of the old institutions of Cape liberalism.

The Study Project of Christianity in Apartheid Society (SPRO-CAS) was established in 1969. During its four years, the Project sought to explore an alternative to apartheid society and to build and advocate for strategies for change. Through a series of 'commissions' it worked to understand the situation in South Africa.

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Published

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