Exclusive: British Library’s chief librarian claims 'racism is the creation of white people'
Liz Jolly supports changes to displays and collections in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests to purge 'perceived racism' at the library
ByCraig Simpson 29 August 2020 •
The building was designed by architect and former naval officer Sir Colin Wilson, and evokes the shape and character of an ocean-going craft CREDIT: Anadolu Agency
The British Library’s chief librarian has claimed “racism is a creation of white people” and backed calls for major cultural change at the institution, the Telegraph can reveal.
Liz Jolly manages the vast collection of literary treasures held by the institution, and is supporting changes to displays and collections in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests. Reforms are being proposed by a “Decolonising Working Group”, which claims the British Library’s London building is an imperialism symbol because it resembles a battleship.
Staff being supported to decolonise the UK’s national library have also suggested that traditional puppet Mr Punch reflects “colonial violence”
The Telegraph has exclusively obtained documents revealing these claims, and a letter endorsed hundreds of employees which declared a racial “state of emergency” at the institution.
In response to this emergency, an internal report called for the removal of statues of the library’s founding fathers, replacing “Eurocentric” maps, and reviewing collections of western classical music which staff branded part of the “outdated notion” of Western Civilization.
The institution recently faced calls for defunding from MPs after the Telegraph revealed employees had urged colleagues to donate to Black Lives Matter and back the work of Labour MP Dianne Abbott.
The Telegraph can now reveal that Chief Librarian Ms Jolly has urged white staff to support the institution's plans to purge the library of perceived racism.
In a video clip obtained by the Telegraph she tells colleagues: “I think, as I have said before, that we need to make sure some white colleagues are involved, because racism is a creation of white people.”
Ms Jolly receives between £120,000 and £125,000 per year for her work as Chief Librarian, a role she has held since 2018.
She has given her support to a broad “Anti-Racism Project” proposed in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, telling colleagues “particularly pressing” work was ongoing to review “artworks in the St Pancras building”.
Ms Jolly assured staff that the project is “about developing and delivering major cultural change”, and part of this would be ensuring the repository of literary treasures will “reflect the diversity of Britain today”.
There are calls for the bust of the founder Sir Hans Sloane to be removed due to his connections with the slave trade CREDIT: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Europe
This followed on from a letter declaring a “state of emergency” at the library, signed by 200 employees, demanding BAME staff should review any job cuts which might affect employees with “protected characteristics” to ensure continued diversity at the library, better treatment of these workers, and ensuring the BAME Network has a say in who is employed as Head of Collections.
To tackle the legacy of “colonial violence” at the library, the letter also demands a statue of founder Sir Hans Sloane be removed.
This recommended removal is echoed in a report by the Decolonising Working Group, which claims that the “physical space” of the British Library contains “manifestations of the institution’s racism” by glorifying the British Empire.
Staff claim in the report that: “This glorification is hard to miss in the structure of the building itself, designed as it is in the form of a battleship, by far the greatest symbol of British imperialism.”
The building was designed by architect and former naval officer Sir Colin Wilson, who added maritime references such as portholes to the building.
In the report aimed at reforming the British Library “as a space”, visual aspects including a portrait of Mr Punch which hangs in the institution is critiqued.
This followed on from a letter declaring a “state of emergency” at the library, signed by 200 employees, demanding BAME staff should review any job cuts which might affect employees with “protected characteristics” to ensure continued diversity at the library, better treatment of these workers, and ensuring the BAME Network has a say in who is employed as Head of Collections.
To tackle the legacy of “colonial violence” at the library, the letter also demands a statue of founder Sir Hans Sloane be removed.
This recommended removal is echoed in a report by the Decolonising Working Group, which claims that the “physical space” of the British Library contains “manifestations of the institution’s racism” by glorifying the British Empire.
Staff claim in the report that: “This glorification is hard to miss in the structure of the building itself, designed as it is in the form of a battleship, by far the greatest symbol of British imperialism.”
The building was designed by architect and former naval officer Sir Colin Wilson, who added maritime references such as portholes to the building.
In the report aimed at reforming the British Library “as a space”, visual aspects including a portrait of Mr Punch which hangs in the institution is critiqued.
The character, popular at seaside shows is: “A theatrical figure from the heyday of Victorian imperialism who ‘entertained’ through an abuse of women and children that mirrored colonial Violence.”
Staff have also claimed Library links to the “ongoing settler-colonisation of Palestine”, and have proclaimed that “every vacant wall” of the institution’s property should be used to advertise the cause of anti-racism.
Other recommended actions include reducing the number of European maps on display, being “tools of power”, and reviewing the presence of busts of Beethoven and Mendelssohn, whose revered status is part and parcel of “western civilizational supremacy”. The music collections should also be diversified, the report suggests.
The Decolonising Working Group is part of the BAME Network at the library, which advised colleagues to read Marxist authors and support Black Lives Matter, deeming “colour-blindness” a form of “covert white supremacy”.
Marble bust of Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) Botanist, Trustee and benefactor of the British Museum CREDIT: PjrTravel / Alamy Stock Photo
In their compiled report circulated among staff they demand the bust of another library founder, botanist Sir Joseph Banks, be removed and the statue of King George III be reviewed.
Their work has been acknowledged by the ongoing Anti-Racism Project at the institution, which is being backed Chief Executive Roly Keating and Chief Librarian Ms Jolly, who has enjoined white staff to advance the project to address the “creation by white people”
“This says to me that there is something fundamentally wrong with the leadership of the British Library,” said MP Ben Bradley.
“If the Chief Librarian is so unhappy with British history perhaps they should not be in that job.
“The very suggestion that racism only applies in one direction , by white people towards BAME people, is categorically false, inflammatory and divisive.”
The British Library houses almost 200 million objects, many of which have major importance to British history, culture, and literature. These include two copies of the Magna Carta.
The institution and Ms Jolly have been contacted for comment.
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