Carolyn Hamilton (historian) facts for kids

Carolyn Hamilton is a South African anthropologist and historian. An anthropologist studies human societies and cultures. A historian studies the past. Carolyn Hamilton is an expert in the history and uses of archives. Archives are places where important historical documents and records are kept. She holds a special position at the University of Cape Town. This position focuses on how archives are used by the public.

Carolyn Hamilton's Career

Carolyn Hamilton has had an interesting career. She was a professor of anthropology at the University of Witwatersrand. This is a major university in South Africa.

Working with Important Organizations

She was part of the board for the South African History Archive. This group helps protect historical records. She also served on the first Council of Robben Island. Robben Island is famous for being the prison where Nelson Mandela was held.

Supporting Nelson Mandela

Carolyn Hamilton even helped write speeches for Nelson Mandela. He was a very important leader in South Africa. Later, in 2015, she joined the board of trustees for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. This foundation continues Mandela's work for freedom and equality.

Current Role

Today, Professor Hamilton is a special chair at the University of Cape Town. Her work there focuses on how archives connect with public culture. She helps people understand the past through old documents.

Research on Archives

Carolyn Hamilton's research looks at how we use archives. She became interested in this during her studies in the 1980s. She noticed that historical records in South Africa might not always be complete or fully true.

Understanding History Better

Her work helps us think about how reliable old documents are. She explores if they tell the whole story. This research is important for understanding history more accurately.

Books and Writings

Carolyn Hamilton has written and edited several important books. These books help us learn about South African history.

Terrific Majesty

In 1998, she wrote a book called Terrific majesty: The powers of Shaka Zulu and the limits of invention. This book explored the history of a famous Zulu king, Shaka Zulu. It looked at how his story has been told over time.

The Cambridge History of South Africa

She also helped edit the first volume of The Cambridge History of South Africa. This big book covers South African history from early times up to 1885. She worked on it with Bernard K. Mbenga and Robert Rossof.

Other Publications

Her other works include:

• In the tracks of the Swazi past (1992): She edited this book about the history of the Swazi people.
• The Mfecane aftermath (1995): This book discussed a period of great change in South African history.
• Refiguring the archive (2002): She was a joint editor of this book about archives.
• Uncertain Curature: In and Out of the Archive (2014): She edited this book with Pippa Skotnes. It also explores the world of archives.

See also

In Spanish: Carolyn Hamilton para niños