George Albert “Sam” Shepperson was born in Peterborough, Northamptonshire in 1922. He received his early education at King's School, Peterborough, before advancing to St. John's College, Cambridge. His studies were interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Northamptonshire Regiment and was seconded to the King's African Rifles, seeing action in East Africa, India, and Burma from 1942 to 1946. His wartime experiences, particularly with a Nyasa battalion in Burma, left an indelible mark on him, fostering a lifelong connection with Africa and its peoples. He became fluent in Chinyanja and developed a profound respect for Malawi and its history.
Upon returning to civilian life, Shepperson completed his history degree and joined the University of Edinburgh as a Lecturer in Imperial and American History in 1948. He became a Senior Lecturer in 1960, a Reader in 1961, and finally, in 1963 he was appointed to the William Robertson Chair of Commonwealth and American History. His courses became renowned, inspiring many students who would go on to become prominent authorities in their fields. He retired in 1986.
Shepperson's scholarly contributions were vast and influential. His seminal work, Independent African: John Chilembwe and the Origins, Setting, and Significance of the Nyasaland Native Rising 1915, co-authored with Tom Price and first published in 1958, remains a cornerstone in the study of African nationalism. This work was pivotal in cementing John Chilembwe's status as a key figure in African history and is still regarded as one of the most comprehensive studies on Malawian nationalism. Throughout his career, Shepperson remained a committed advocate for African independence, particularly for Malawi. He also authored David Livingstone and the Rovuma in 1964, among many other significant publications.
His expertise and passion for African history led him to numerous prestigious visiting professorships, including stints at Roosevelt and Chicago Universities in 1959, Makerere College in Uganda in 1962, Dalhousie University from 1968 to 1969, and Rhode Island College in 1984. These roles further solidified his reputation as a leading scholar of African and American history.
Shepperson was instrumental in curating two University of Edinburgh Library's exhibitions, "A Miscellany of Americana" in 1963 and "A Miscellany of Africana" in 1966, which significantly enhanced the university's status in Americanist and Africanist studies. His efforts also included generous donations of books and papers, enriching the library's resources and inspiring others to contribute. He was a founding member of the Friends of the University Library in 1962, serving multiple terms on its committee.
George Albert Shepperson passed away on 2 April 2020, at the age of 98, in Peterborough, UK. His legacy is one of profound scholarly impact and passionate advocacy for African history and culture.
File — Box CLX-A-19: Series Coll-490/12; Series Coll-490/13
Identifier:Coll-490/12/8C
Scope and Contents
Correspondence: Dr Banda, Professor Shepperson and others.1. Letter: Thomas Price, Glasgow, to George Shepperson, Edinburgh. He thanks George Shepperson for the transcript of Banda's contribution to origins. Considers it will need a good deal of support "before it becomes plausible". It raises various questions about the "Movement" and leaves the feeling that Banda is a bit confused over sequence. 28 February 1952.2. George Shepperson to the Rev H B. Make,...
File — Box CLX-A-23: Series Coll-490/20; Series Coll-490/21
Identifier:Coll-490/21/3
Scope and Contents
Correspondence: George Shepperson with Orton and Vera Chirwa.
Letter from Orton Chirwa to George Shepperson. He thanks Mr Shepperson for the monograph on John Chilembwe and assures him that he is doing his best to gather more material. Names some who may help their research and complete the picture from the African viewpoint. Gives an unfavourable description of the European settler of 1910. Chirwa...
File — Box CLX-A-19: Series Coll-490/12; Series Coll-490/13
Identifier:Coll-490/12/9
Scope and Contents
Correspondents: Professor George Shepperson; Dr H. Kamuzu Banda; The Hon M. W. K. Chiume; Richard H. Pear; Dr W. D. Lamont; Professor D. B. Horn; Professor Denys Hay; Christopher Fyfe; Betty Whitelaw; Sir Charles Morris; Charles H. Stewart; Sir Christopher Cox; Vaughn DeLong; Tom Creighton; Marjorie S. Belcher; F. P. Dunhill; I. C. M. Maxwell; Roy Prideaux; Frank Untermyer; Andrew Ross; The Principal of Edinburgh University.Topics: Proposed university at Livingstonia; Commission...
File — Box CLX-A-19: Series Coll-490/12; Series Coll-490/13
Identifier:Coll-490/12/8F
Scope and Contents
Correspondence – most of it relating to Dr Banda's generous gifts to the University of Edinburgh and the Infirmary, and his meeting with Professor and Mrs Shepperson at Gleneagles Hotel. [24 items + enclosures]1. Letter from Dr H Kamazu Banda, President of Malawi, to the Rev Hamish Smith, University Chaplaincy Centre, Edinburgh. The number of needy students in Malawi makes it difficult to respond to calls from outside the country.
He, however, enclosed a cheque for £100 and asks...
File — Box CLX-A-19: Series Coll-490/12; Series Coll-490/13
Identifier:Coll-490/12/8A
Scope and Contents
Dr Banda's Letters: 1938-1988.1. Letter: Hastings K. Banda to the Secretary, Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society, London. Rumour has reached Banda that the Royal Commission taking evidence on proposed closer union between the Rhodesias and Nyasaland is on its way back to Britain. As a native of Nyasaland with an education of University rank, he asks for a hearing. Edinburgh, 11 September 1938.2. Extracts: Hastings Banda to Miss Marjorie Nicholson. He...
File — Box CLX-A-19: Series Coll-490/12; Series Coll-490/13
Identifier:Coll-490/12/8G
Scope and Contents
Further visits by His Excellency the Life President, Ngwazi to Britain. 1985 and 1988. [9 items]1. Menu: Dinner at Edinburgh Castle. 20 April 1985.2. Notes relating to Dr Banda's visit to the Commonwealth Institute, Scotland, and the presentation to him of a stool which belonged to John Moir. 9 June 1988.3. Invitation to the buffet lunch in the Commonwealth Institute, 8 Rutland Square, Edinburgh. June 1988.4. Print of Dr Hastings K. Baqnda's...
Series — Box CLX-A-25: Series Coll-490/24; Series Coll-490/25
Identifier:Coll-490/25/GS.1
Scope and Contents
George Shepperson: Articles, Addresses, Talks, Letters.
'Malawi – Today and Yesterday'. ND
'Africans studied in Prison' The Scotsman, 17 November 1960
'The Development of Nationalism in Nyasaland'. Aberdeen University, 21 October 1961.
'Abolitionism and African Political Thought'. Seminar on African Studies, University...
File — Box CLX-A-18: Series Coll-490/10; Series Coll-490/11
Identifier:Coll-490/10/2
Scope and Contents
Sixteen "sections", roughly chronological.
Newspaper cutting - letter.
Letter dated 7 March 1951 to The Scotsman from J. B. Dunbar, Esq., Elgin. It interested George Shepperson because its author had served in Central Africa with the King's African Rifles about 1900. George Shepperson writes to Mr Dunbar explaining his interest, and asking if he has any material on the territories in...
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of papers, articles, correspondence, publications, photographs, audio-visual material, and artefacts of Professor George "Sam" Shepperson, a prominent scholar of African and American African history, and Malawi specialist. This includes, among other things, papers and correspondence relating to central and eastern Africa with special reference to Malawi and Tanzania (including correspondence of Julius Nyerere); papers on nationalism in Nyasaland (Malawi), including...
