Roland Oliver

Roland Anthony Oliver (30 March 1923 – 9 February 2014) was an Indian-born English academic and Emeritus Professor of African history at the University of London. He was a renowned researcher, writer, teacher, administrator, and organizer, and made significant contributions to the development of African Studies in the United Kingdom. Born in Srinagar, Kashmir, India, Oliver studied at the University of Cambridge before joining the staff of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. He played a key role in establishing the academic field of African history and founded the African History Seminar at SOAS, which became a major platform for scholarly advancements in the field.