Library Research Guide for French Government Archives and Documents

Guides, Collections and Ancillary Materials to African Archival Resources in the United States

Guides to Official Publications

Offers outline of colonial administration:
French-speaking central Africa; a guide to official publications in American libraries, by Julian W. Witherell. Washington: Library of Congress, 1973, 314 p.
Documents (Lamont) | Afr Doc 7002.3

Archives imprimées chapters in the following two books list official publications of the various administrations:

Sources de l'histoire de l'Afrique au sud du Sahara dans les archives et bibliothèques françaises. Zug, Inter Documentation Co. 1971-76, 2 v. and index 178 p.
Widener | Harvard Depository | Afr 28.144 vol.3-4
--Chapter on Archives imprimées in 1st vol. lists official publications. Colonial administration outlined on pp. 136-146.

French colonial Africa: a guide to official sources, by G. D. Westfall. London; NY: Hans Zell Publishers, 1992, 226 p.
Documents (Lamont) | Afr Doc 5002.4
Law School | ILS | DT 532 .W47 1992

Official publications of French Equatorial Africa, French Cameroons, and Togo, 1946-1958; [a guide], by Julian W. Witherell. Washington: Library of Congress, 1964, 78 p.
Documents (Lamont) | Afr Doc 7002.5
Law School | Harvard Depository | COMP 020 UNI
Widener | Harvard Depository | Ref 688.20.8

Madagascar and adjacent islands; a guide to official publications. Compiled by Julian W. Witherell. Washington: Library of Congress, 1965, 58 p.
Documents (Lamont) | Afr Doc 5602.5
Law School | Harvard Depository | COMP 020 UNI
Widener | Harvard Depository | Ref 688.36
Widener | Harvard Depository | Z3702 .U5

Official publications of French West Africa, 1946-1958; a guide, by Helen F. Conover. Washington: Library of Congress, 1960, 88 p.
Widener | Harvard Depository | Ref 688.20

Finding Government Periodicals

Government periodicals are often difficult to find in HOLLIS. French colonial Africa: a guide to official sources is a useful source. Several Subject terms apply to government periodicals. Gazettes are official journals published for promulgating laws, regulations, public notices.

Sample Subject Terms for Finding Government Periodicals

Omit the hyphens (.--.) in keyword searches.

Africa, French-speaking Equatorial -- Politics and government -- Periodicals
France -- Colonies – Periodicals
Gazettes -- Africa, French-speaking Equatorial
Gazettes -- Algeria
Gazettes -- Indochina
Gazettes -- Vietnam, Southern
Law -- Africa, French-speaking Equatorial
Law -- Indochina -- Periodicals
Vietnam -- Politics and government -- Periodicals

European Colonialism in the Early 20th Century: French Colonialism in Africa: From Algeria to Madagascar, 1910-1930 (Archives Unbound)

Hommes et destins: dictionnaire biographique d'outre-mer. Paris: Académie des sciences d'outre-mer, 1975-1995. 10 v.
Widener | WID-LC | CT1014 .H65
--Covers French colonial figures, including explorers, administrators, missionaries, doctors, anthropologists, engineers, etc. Vols. 1-5 cover the colonies in general; v. 6, Asia; v. 7, Northern Africa; v. 8, Colonial governors, administrators, and magistrates; v. 9, Africa south of the Sahara. Each volume has a cumulative index of biographees. Included full text in the World Biographical Information System

Bibliography of published work by colonial administrators in Mondes et cultures: comptes rendus trimestriels des séances de l'Académie des sciences d'outre-mer, v. 46, pp. 71-167
Widener | LSoc 1621.87.5 vol. 46