Register of the Laing Gray Cowan papers
Finding aid prepared by Beth Goder
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2019
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Laing Gray Cowan papers
Date (inclusive): 1948-1971
Collection Number: 74104
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
11 manuscript boxes
(4.6 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Reports, articles, seminar papers, speeches, memoranda, minutes, statistics, and printed matter, relating to political, economic
and social conditions, education, nationalism, and foreign aid in newly independent African states.
Creator:
Cowan, L. Gray (Laing Gray)
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1974, with increments in 1980.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Laing Gray Cowan papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
Laing Gray Cowan was an American author and professor. He founded the Institute of African Studies at Columbia University
and served as the dean of the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the State University of New York at Albany. In addition,
Cowan worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In 1961, he trained the first group of Peace
Corps volunteers assigned to Ghana.
Cowan wrote several books about Africa, including
The Economic Development of Morocco (1958),
Local Government in West Africa (1958),
The Dilemmas of African Independence (1964),
Education and Nation-Building in Africa (1965),
The Cost of Learning: The Politics of Primary Education in Kenya (1970), and
Black Africa: The Growing Pains of Independence (1972). He also authored
France and the Saar, 1680-1948 (1950) and
Privatization in the Developing World (1990).
Scope and Content of Collection
The Laing Gray Cowan papers include reports, articles, seminar papers, speeches, memoranda, minutes, statistics, and printed
matter related to political, economic and social conditions; education; nationalism; and foreign aid in newly independent
African states.
The
1980 Incremental Materials include memoranda, reports, and statistics related to education, local government, and rural development in Kenya, as well
as circulars issued by the Kenya Ministry of Local Government.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Africa -- Politics and government -- 1960-
Africa -- Economic conditions -- 1960-
Africa -- Social conditions
Education -- Africa
Economic assistance -- Africa
Nationalism -- Africa
Africa -- History -- 1960-
Subject File
Scope and Contents
Includes reports, articles, conference papers, speeches, writings, memoranda, minutes, statistics, and printed matter
box 1, folder 2
Africa, government and politics
1959, undated
Scope and Contents
Includes writings by Cowan
box 1, folder 3
African studies
1961-1970
box 1, folder 4
Armed forces in Africa
1963-1966
box 1, folder 6
Conference on Politics, Philosophy, and Creative Literature
1965, 1968
box 2, folder 1
Education, Africa
1951, undated
box 2, folder 2
Foreign aid and technical assistance, United States
1957-1970
box 2, folder 4
IDEP (Institut Africain de Developpement Economique et de Planification)
1968-1969
box 2, folder 5
International Institute for Educational Planning
1964-1965
box 2, folder 6-7
Miscellaneous
1968-1970, undated
box 3, folder 1-2
Miscellaneous (continued)
box 3, folder 3-5
Municipal councils proceedings
1966-1967
box 4, folder 1
Municipal councils proceedings (continued)
box 4, folder 3
Overseas France and the French Union
1951-1953
box 4, folder 4
SSRC, October 1969 Baltimore meeting
1970, undated
box 4, folder 5
Tracer Project, Kenya
1969-1970, undated
box 4, folder 6
University of Zambia
1967-1971
box 4, folder 9
Congo (Brazzaville)
1952-1962, undated
box 4, folder 10
General
1962-1966, undated
box 5, folder 2
Education
1968-1969, undated
box 5, folder 5-6
Government and politics
1954-1963
box 6, folder 1
Government and politics (continued)
box 6, folder 3
Foreign affairs
1957-1960
box 6, folder 5
Gold Coast, government and politics
1951-1952
box 7, folder 1
Constitutional Congress
1957-1961
box 7, folder 2
Politics and government
1962-1963
box 7, folder 3
General
1963-1966, undated
box 7, folder 4
Politics and government
1956-1957
box 7, folder 8-9
Malagasy Republic
1949-1960
box 9, folder 1
Colony status (continued)
box 9, folder 2
Education, Eastern Nigeria
1961-1969
box 9, folder 4-5
Local government
1948-1959
box 9, folder 6
Rhodesia and Nyasaland
1957-1967
box 10, folder 6
Politics and government
1960-1969
1980 Incremental Materials
1965-1971
Scope and Contents
Includes memoranda, reports, and statistics related to education, local government, and rural development in Kenya. Includes
circulars issued by the Kenya Ministry of Local Government from 1965 to 1967.
box 10, folder 10
Incremental materials
1965-1971
box 11, folder 1-6
Incremental materials (continued)
