The Drum Archive preserves a major photographic and editorial record from the first three decades of the iconic Drum magazine. Explore digitised photographs, articles, advertisements, and magazine covers – documenting African urban life from jazz and sport to politics and glamour.
Discover our Recent Collections
Jazz
For many, Drum became synonymous with jazz. Jazz culture became an almost inescapable aspect of the …
49 items
View CollectionSophiatown
Last Days Of Sophiatown - Big machines and men with picks are beating down the last walls of Sophiat…
54 items
View CollectionNelson Mandela: A Life Of Arrest, Bans and Jailings
Nelson Mandela, Transvaal President and Deputy President of the banned ANC, was born in Umtata 46 ye…
51 items
View CollectionRivonia Trial
South Africa goes on Trial. The whole world was watching when the three major sabotage trials starte…
23 items
View CollectionTreason Trial - Big Noisy Trial!
The Treason trials started off like an action-packed cowboy film when 156 men and women came before …
70 items
View CollectionSharpville Massacre 1960 - How It Began
This is the call the African people have been waiting for! It has come! On Monday, 21st March 1960, …
41 items
View CollectionMeet our Photographers
G.R. Naidoo
Alf Kumalo
Jürgen Schadeberg
Ranjith Kally
Peter Magubane
