The Uganda Society

The Uganda Society was established in 1923 in Entebbe as the Uganda Literary and Scientific Society, during the period when Uganda was a British protectorate. Its original purpose was to promote learning about Uganda through lectures, papers, and discussion. During its first five years, meetings addressed subjects of scientific, historical, economic, and religious interest. The organization suffered a near-collapse in 1928 after members dispersed, weakening its ability to maintain regular activity. The society was revived in 1933 with the assistance of Edward James Wayland, a British geologist, and Sir Herbert Ralph Hone. Following its revival, it adopted the shorter name The Uganda Society and transferred its headquarters from Entebbe to Kampala. In the same year it resolved to establish a regular publication. The Uganda Journal began publication in 1934, with an archival and educational purpose: to collect and circulate information that would increase knowledge of Uganda and preserve records that might otherwise disappear. The society's institutional location changed within Kampala over time. It moved first to the Kampala Club, then to the Sikh Barracks, and by 1960 was associated with the National Cultural Center. In 1963, a Ford Foundation grant supported an extension of the Uganda Museum. The project made room for the society in the museum's Education Wing, which has served as its home since that period. Alongside its journal and lectures, the society developed a specialist library and archive. The library originated in the 1920s and accumulated books, maps, periodicals, and photographs concerning African history, culture, sociology, travel, and science. The collection is described as containing about 6,000 volumes, including materials that were otherwise difficult to locate in Uganda. The society also supported or sponsored publications on particular aspects of Ugandan life and natural history, including works on snakes and colonial-era medical and personal experience. The available account presents The Uganda Society as an institution organized around knowledge preservation and public scholarship rather than commercial activity. Its principal outputs are its journal, lectures, library, archives, and supported publications. Information about its contemporary officers, membership structure, financial position, and current events is not established by the supplied sources.

• 1963

  Space allocated at the Uganda Museum

  [1]The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org

  Following a Ford Foundation-supported extension of the Uganda Museum, the society received space in the museum's Education Wing, where it has remained based.

• 1960

  Located at the National Cultural Center

  [1]The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society was recorded as being based at Kampala's National Cultural Center.

• 1934

  First issue of The Uganda Journal

  [1]The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society published the first issue of The Uganda Journal as a continuing record of research and information about Uganda.

• 1933

  Revival and renaming

  [1]The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was revived with the efforts of Edward James Wayland and Sir Herbert Ralph Hone, adopted the name The Uganda Society, and moved its headquarters to Kampala.

• 1928

  Near-collapse after member dispersal

  [1]The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The society experienced a major decline when the dispersal of members threatened its continuity.

• 1923

  Society founded in Entebbe

  [1]The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was founded as the Uganda Literary and Scientific Society in Entebbe, in the then Protectorate of Uganda.

A national scholarly and cultural institution focused on preserving, publishing, and discussing knowledge about Uganda's history, culture, society, and natural environment.

• Scholarly journal · 1934

  The Uganda Journal

  The Uganda Journal is the society's principal periodical publication. Established after the 1933 reorganization and first issued in 1934, it was intended to collect and publish information that would deepen knowledge of Uganda and preserve records at risk of being lost. It represents the society's long-term contribution to research communication and documentary preservation.

• Library and archival collection · 1920

  Uganda Society Library and archives

  Located at the Uganda Museum, the library and archives contain books, maps, periodicals, and photographs concerning African history, culture, sociology, travel, and science. The collection was founded in the 1920s and is described as comprising approximately 6,000 volumes, including materials that may otherwise be unavailable in Uganda.

• Educational and cultural program · 1923

  Public lectures and scholarly papers

  The society's core program has consisted of reading papers and delivering lectures on topics related to Uganda. Historically, its events covered scientific, historical, economic, religious, cultural, and natural-history subjects, providing a forum for research presentation and public discussion.

1. 1The Uganda Societyen.wikipedia.org