The letters in this book come from various collections, including the notebooks Mandela transcribed his letters into and the Himan Bernadt Collection, as follows:
Nelson Mandela Prison Archive, National Archives and Records Service of South Africa: commanding officer, Pretoria Local – 23 Sept 1963; commanding officer, Pretoria Local – 8 October 1963; commanding officer, Pretoria Local – 25 October 1963; Frank, Bernadt & Joffe – 15 June 1964; Bram Fischer – 2 August 1964; commanding officer Robben Island – 30 November 1964; Major Visser – 25 August 1965; commissioner of prisons – 10 October 1965; Winnie Mandela – 17 February 1966; University of South Africa – 22 August 1966; American Society of International Law – 31 August 1966; commanding officer, Robben Island – 8 September 1966; Cecil Eprile – 11 February 1967; commanding officer – 27 February 1967; Frank, Bernadt & Joffe – 21 March 1967; Joel Carlson [1967]; registrar of the Supreme Court – 6 December 1967; Adelaide Tambo – 5 March 1968; commanding officer – 29 April 1967; British Embassy – 29 April 1968; commanding officer, Robben Island –16 September 1968; K. D. Matanzima – 14 October 1968; Knowledge Guzana – 14 October 1968; Mangosuthu Buthelezi – 4 November 1968; commanding officer, Robben Island – 28 February 1969; minister of justice – 22 April 1969; Brigadier Aucamp – 5 August 1969; London University – 1 October 1969; commanding officer, Robben Island – 9 October 1969; London University – 18 November 1969; commanding officer, Robben Island – 2 April 1970; commanding officer, Robben Island – 20 April 1970; commanding officer, Robben Island – 29 May 1970; commanding officer, Robben Island – 2 June 1970; Nkosikazi Nokukhanya Luthuli – 8 June 1970; Winnie Mandela – 20 June 1970; commanding officer, Robben Island – 24 December 1970; medical officer, Robben Island – 24 December 1970; commanding officer – 31 March 1971; commanding officer, Robben Island – 4 April 1971; commanding officer, Robben Island – 14 June 1971; Vanguard Booksellers – 26 September 1971; commanding officer, Robben Island – 27 March 1972; Winnie Mandela – 1 June 1972; commanding officer, Robben Island – 7 March 1973; commanding officer, Robben Island – 7 March 1973; Helen Suzman – 1 March 1974; minister of justice – 13 May 1974; minister of justice – 25 May 1974; West Rand Board – 18 June 1974; commanding officer, Robben Island – 26 June 1974; commanding officer, Robben Island – 1 December 1974; Winnie Mandela – 1 February 1975; minister of justice – 12 February 1975; Yusuf Dadoo – 1 November 1975; commanding officer, Robben Island – 15 December 1975; commissioner of prisons – 23 January 1976; D. B. Alexander – 1 March 1976; Felicity Kentridge – 9 May 1976; commanding officer, Robben Island – 12 July 1976; commissioner of prisons – 12 July 1976; commanding officer, Robben Island – 18 August 1976; Winnie Mandela – 18 August 1976; Winnie Mandela – 19 August 1976; Winnie Mandela – 1 September 1976; Winnie Mandela – 1 October 1976; commanding officer, Robben Island – 7 October 1976; commanding officer, Robben Island – 12 October 1976; Thorobetsane Tshukudu (Adelaide Tambo) – 1 January 1977; head of prison – 19 May 1977; Nobulile Thulare – 19 July 1977; Duma Nokwe (Gcwanini Miya) – 1 July 1977; Zenani and Muzi Dlamini – 24 July 1977; Zindzi Mandela and Oupa Seakamela – 24 July 1977; head of prison, Robben Island – 18 September 1977; Winnie Mandela – 4 December 1977; commissioner of prisons – 6 December 1977; head of prison – 16 January 1978; Marie Naicker – 1 October 1978; Mangosuthu Buthelezi – 1 October 1978; head of prison – 2 October 1978; minister of justice – 23 October 1978; Zindzi Mandela – 26 November 1978; Ndileka Mandela – 21 January 1979; Winnie Mandela – 21 January 1979; Makaziwe Mandela – 13 May 1979; head of prison, Robben Island – 20 May 1979; Alan Paton – 29 July 1979; Winnie Mandela – 2 September 1979; minister of police and prisons – 4 September 1979; commanding officer, Robben Island – 19 November 1979; Zindzi Mandela – 9 December 1979; head of prison, Robben Island – 23 December 1979; Denis Healey – 8 January 1980; Zindzi Mandela – 27 January 1980; minister of education – 1 February 1980; Zindzi Mandela – 10 February 1980; Dullah Omar – 1 June 1980; Winnie Mandela – 30 July 1980; Zindzi Mandela – 1 March 1981; Winnie Mandela – 26 April 1981; Petronella Ferus – 3 May 1981; Camagwini Madikizela – 15 November 1981; Dr. Ayesha Arnold – 15 November 1981; Major-General Coetzee – 27 November 1981; head of prison, Pollsmoor – 20 April 1982; head of prison, Pollsmoor – 21 January 1983; head of prison, Pollsmoor – 25 February 1983; Russel Piliso – 29 June 1983; commissioner of prisons – 6 October 1983; Trevor Tutu – 6 August 1984; Winnie Mandela – 29 December 1984; Ismail Meer – 29 January 1985; P. W. Botha – 13 February 1985; Sheena Duncan – 1 April 1985; Archie Gumede – 1 July 1985 (from 1975); Archie Gumede – 8 July 1975; Victoria Mxenge – 8 July 1985; Nolinda Mgabela – 8 July 1985; University of South Africa – 15 October 1985; Winnie Mandela – 5 December 1985; Dr. Dumisane Mzamane – 17 December 1985; commissioner of prisons – 4 February 1986; Joy Motsieloa – 17 February 1986; Tukwini, Dumani and Kweku – date unknown; K. D. Matanzima – 19 May 1986; head of prison, Pollsmoor – 6 October 1986; Nontancu Mabel Timakwe – 18 February 1987; Frieda Matthews – 25 February 1987; Kepu Mkentane – 25 February 1987; Mandla Mandela – 9 July 1987; Nandi Mandela – 17 August 1987; Zindzi Mandela – 31 August 1987; Mamphela Ramphele – 1 March 1988; head of prison, Pollsmoor – 29 August 1988; Prof. W. J. Hosten – 25 November 1988; Nandi Mandela – 5 December 1988; Zoleka and Zondwa Mandela – 5 December 1988; Zaziwe, Zamaswazi and Zinhle – 5 December 1988; head of prison – 5 December 1988; Prof. W. J. Hosten – 23 December 1988; Archie Gumede – 10 January 1989; Archbishop and Mrs. Tutu – 17 January 1989; Rev. Austen Massey – 17 January 1989; Mangosuthu Buthelezi – 3 February 1989; Elaine Kearns – 14 February 1989; Dumani Mandela – 28 February 1989; Kwedi Mkalipi – 28 February 1989; Eddie Daniels – 28 February 1989; Alan Boesak – 28 February 1989; Amina Cachalia – 28 February 1989; Sipho Sepamla – 28 February 1989; Candie Lawless – 4 April 1989; Sir Robin Renwick – 10 April 1989; Mike Tyson – 10 May 1989; Rev. Frank Chikane – 10 May 1989; Mrs E. N. Mbekeni – 10 May 1989; Helen Suzman – 22 May 1989; Richard Maponya – 28 June 1989; acting paramount chief; Mdayelwa Mtirara – 4 July 1989; commissioner of prisons – 17 July 1989; Tim Wilson – 23 July 1989; Adelaide Tambo – 14 August 1989; Makhi Dalasile – 14 August 1989; Rev. Abel & Freda Hendricks – 15 August 1989; Desmond and Leah Tutu – 21 August 1989; Adelaide Tambo – 21 August 1989; J. N. and Radhi Singh – 21 August 1989; Mary Benson – 21 August 1989; Helen Joseph – 21 August 1989; Cyril Ramaphosa – 21 August 1989; Amina and Peter Frense – 21 August 1989; commissioner of prisons – 11 September 1989; Connie Njongwe – 18 September 1989; Frieda Matthews – 18 September 1989; Kepu Mkentane – 18 September 1989; Mamphela Ramphele – 18 September 1989; Rashid and Ayesha Kola – 25 September 1989; The secretary POTWA – 25 September 1989; Fatima Meer – 28 September 1989; Madanjit and Marjorie Kapitan – 28 September 1989; Winnie Mandela – 9 October 1980; commanding officer, Victor Verster – 9 October 1989; commissioner of prisons – 10 October 1989; commissioner of prisons – 16 October 1989; Sheikh Nazeem Mohamed – 23 October 1989; Rev. T. S. N. Gqubule – 23 October 1989; Ntsiki Sisulu – 23 October 1989; Len and Beryl Simelane – 21 November 1989; chief Zonwabile Sandile Mtirara – 6 November 1989; Fatima Meer – 6 November 1989; commissioner of prisons – 22 January 1990; commissioner of prisons – 2 February 1990; commissioner of prisons – 11 February 1990.
The books into which Mandela transcribed his letters (the Donald Card Collection housed at the Nelson Mandela Foundation): Zenani and Zindzi Mandela – 4 February 1969; Makaziwe Mandela – 16 February 1969; Lilian Ngoyi – 3 March 1969; Gibson Kente – 3 March 1969; Chief Mthetho Matanzima – 17 March 1969; Winnie Mandela – 2 April 1969; P. K. Madikizela – 4 May 1969; Zenani and Zindzi Mandela – 23 June 1969; Winnie Mandela – 23 June 1969; Niki Xaba – 15 July 1969; Tellie Mtirara – 15 July 1969; Winnie Mandela – 16 July 1969; Evelyn Mandela – 16 July 1969; Col. Van Aarde – 22 July 1969; Makgatho Mandela – 28 July 1969; Sefton Vutela – 28 July 1969; Zenani and Zindzi Mandela – 3 August 1969; Irene Buthelezi – 3 August 1969; Nomfundo Mandela – 8 September 1969; Nolusapho Irene Mkwayi – 29 September 1969; Adelaide Sam Mase – 3 November 1969; Winnie Mandela – 16 November 1969; Paul Mzaidume – 19 November 1969; Thoko Mandela – 29 November 1969; Chief Nkosiyane – 1 January 1970; Winnie Mandela – 21 January 1970; Adelaide Tambo – 31 January 1970; Marshall Xaba – 3 February 1970; Tellie Mandela – 6 March 1970; Makgatho Mandela – 31 March 1970; Makaziwe Mandela – 1 May 1970; Leabie Piliso – 1 May 1970; Winnie Mandela – 20 June 1970; Winnie Mandela 1 August 1970; Senator Douglas Lukhele – 1 August 1970; Winnie Mandela – 31 August 1970; Makgatho Mandela – 31 August 1970; minister of justice – 14 September 1970; Winnie Mandela – 1 October 1970; minister of justice 19 November 1970; Sanna Teyise – 1 December 1970; Winnie Mandela – 28 December 1970; Joyce Sikhakhane – 1 January 1971; Nomabutho Bhala – 1 January 1971; commanding officer, Robben Island – 2 January 1971; Tim Maharaj – 1 February 1971; Ishmael and Mohla Matlakhu – 1 February 1971; Zenani Mandela – 1 March 1971; Christine Scholtz – 1 March 1971; Thoko Mandela – 1 April 1971; ‘Sisi’ – 1 April 1971.
The Himan Bernadt Collection housed at the Nelson Mandela Foundation: The Liquidator – 23 October 1967; Frank, Bernadt & Joffe – 20 May 1969; Frank, Bernadt & Joffe – 21 January 1977.
The private collections of: Amnesty International: The Secretary Amnesty – 6 November 1962; Amina Cachalia: Amina Cachalia – 12 December 1977, Amina Cachalia – 26 October 1980; Nick Carter: Ray Carter – 4 March 1985; Meyer de Waal: Adele de Waal – 29 August 1983; Michael Dingake: Michael Dingake – 24 April 1986; Fatima Meer: Fatima Meer – 1 March 1971, Fatima Meer – 1 November 1974, Fatima Meer – 1 January 1976, Fatima Meer – 30 January 1984; Morabo Morojele: Lionel Ngakane – 1 April 1985; Coen Stork: Coen Stork – 11 June 1964; Emily Wellman: Peter Wellman – 27 May 1979.