Chile Solidarity Campaign

The collection comprises the working papers of London branch of the Chile Solidarity Campaign from its foundation in 1973 to its close in 1991. Included are records of local, student and trade union bodies who joined the campaign for Chilean democracy.

The Chile Solidarity Campaign (CSC) was set up in 1973 in response to the brutal overthrow of the democratic Chilean government by a military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet.

In 1970 Dr. Salvador Allende, as head of the Popular Unit coalition won the Presidential election. Allende's government introduced radical reforms. Chile's natural resources were taken out of the hands of U.S. companies and nationalised, a welfare state was set up and land reform accelerated. Despite a growing share of the vote, and huge demonstrations in its support, the Popular Unity government was destroyed on September 11 1973. Tens of thousands were tortured and killed, many more were imprisoned, and hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled into exile. After the coup, the junta, adopted an extreme monetarist economic strategy which whilst creating rapid economic growth greatly impoverished the working class.

Over 2,500 Chilean exiles settled into Britain. Democracy in Chile was restored in 1990, the Chile Solidarity Campaign ceased shortly afterwards.

The papers have been arranged into the following series:

minutes; annual meetings/reports; diaries; finance and fundraising; delegations; demonstrations; publications/advertising; mailings; films and video; meetings and speakers; conferences; Banners Art Project; correspondence and notes; concerts and culture; arms trade; boycott campaign; Brigade volunteers; Chile's foreign relations; events in Chile; pickets and demonstrations; political prisoners; refugees, trade sport and investment, Chilean opposition visits; British Government policy; CSC Labour Party; CSC other parties; CSC trade unions; EEC/UN; international groups; UK CSC volunteers; Chilean opposition; Latin American solidarity; women's section minutes; women's section correspondence and reports; women's delegations; women's section finance; women's section mailings; women's political and trade union contacts; women's projects; students international; students NUS/UK; local CSC minutes; Local CSC newsletters; local CSCs.

Access by appointment only contact: archive@phm.org.uk

The collection is now held at the Labour History Archives and Study Centre, which is based at the head office of the People's History Museum.

The Chile Solidarity Campaign papers were file listed by Brenda Lees in 1998. A collection level description was created by Janette Martin in November 2002.

A file level catalogue for this collection can be found by clicking CSC Full Catalogue in the 'Digital Materials' field above

Photocopies and photographic copies of material in the archive can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

The Papers of the Chile Solidarity Campaign were donated to the People's History Museum (formerly National Museum of Labour History) in 1991.

Accruals are not expected.

The Labour History Archive and Study Centre (LHASC) holds the papers of Judith Hart Labour MP, who was Minister for Overseas Development between 1967-1968. Hart was also a prominent supporter of the Chile Solidarity Campaign. The LHASC library also has press cuttings on Judith Hart's political career.

The Hull History Centre holds the papers of the Humberside branch of the Chile Solidarity Campaign, 1974-88 in the political papers of Herbert Colin Creighton.

Derbyshire Record Office holds minutes, reports and case files on the Chile Committee for Human Rights: Derbyshire area.