Operation Crossroads Africa records, 1958-1979 | Amistad Research Center

The Operation Crossroads Africa (OCA) records measure 34.4 linear feet and contain approximately 22 linear feet of correspondence. Most of this correspondence is dated between 1968 and 1975. Other record types in the accession are financial accounts, biographical profiles, reports, photographs, brochures, pamphlets, programs, newspaper articles, agenda and minutes, handbooks, and other printed items. The correspondence includes political items to and from American and foreign, particularly African, political leaders, diplomatic personnel, American and foreign participants in the programs of OCA, and business firms which traded with OCA.

The Operation Crossroads Africa records will be useful for researchers who are interested in studying the relationship between private organizations and cultural exchange programs, particularly as they relate to Africa. Of special note are the grantee profiles and grantee reports which provide insight into the character, expectations, and assumptions of many individuals who held positions of leadership and influence in various African countries. Additional information can be found in the personal papers of James Herman Robinson, founder of Operation Crossroads Africa, which are also housed at the Amistad Research Center.