Abstract: This contribution investigates the African element among Oxford University's prestigious and unique Rhodes Scholars ‐ the ‘doubly elite’ of the title. Set within the context of African students at British universities since the 1930s, the development of the Rhodes Scholarships and the criteria for selection lead into an examination of the presence of black African Scholars among this elite. Because such awards closely followed the independence of Commonwealth African states, the focus is essentially on those men and women selected since 1960, though there were, of course, many Scholars from South Africa and Rhodesia elected earlier. Out of approximately 5,000 Rhodes Scholarships awarded between 1903 and 1990, no fewer than 900 went to students from Africa. What is believed to be a basis for the first databank of all the black African Scholars elected is now established. The paper concludes with a discussion of the need for further prosopographical analysis of the achievements of this African double elite during and after their Oxford experience.
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 3
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