In April 1946 a five-year project was initiated, which aimed at developing materials and techniques for literacy classes for African adults, particularly on the gold mines, using methods developed by Frank Laubach in the Philippines in the 1930s. It was started by the South African Institute of Race Relations, and conducted through a special committee whose members included specialists form government departments, and with finance provided by the Department of Education, The Bantu Welfare Trust, private donors, and the Institute.

The years 1952 1964 were a pre-Bureau period in which work continued, and on the 1 April 1964, the Bureau of Literacy and Literature became an independent voluntary organisation, and was registered as a `non-profit making company'.

The teaching methods were based on Dr Frank Laubach's phonetic alphabet, which he developed in the 1930s in the Phillippines, and which were applicable in different languages, by using the sound of a syllable in association with a familiar picture. He would later be called "apostle of mass literacy".

Includes executive committee minutes, Annual General Meeting, and Advisory Committee.

Includes a SABRA newsletter (Afrikaans); memorandum re project of B.L.L (Eng and Afr); index a literacy among African women; articles of association of the B.L.L (Ltd); reports on B.L.L; an address to B.L.L by director of Africa Literature Centre in Zambia; report on a visit to the U.S.

Undated notes on literacy in Swaziland, reports of work done undated literacy teaching Swazi orthography.

Includes statements of Revenue, Expenditure, Budget, Trial Balance and Balance Sheet.

Includes correspondence with 'World Literacy and Literature'; the University of Witwatersrand; the continuation committee of S.A. Churches; the Conference of Missionary Societies in Great Britain and Ireland; Vivian Hicks in attempts to get personnel to the Bureau.

Correspondents: F.J. Van Wyk; Desmand T. Cole; F. Shacklock; L.B. Greaves; Maida Whyte; Quintin Whyte.