The British libraries chief librarian has told her staff that ‘racism is the creation of white people’. Liz Jolly released a short video and used it to urge her white members of staff to support the ‘anti-racism action plan’ that began last month.
These comments came after Ms Jolly backed plans for a cultural overhaul at the library. In the video clip, she says: ‘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’. Leaked documents have revealed plans to change the library’s displays in order to ‘decolonise’ the British Library’s collection. This came after a letter was signed by hundreds of members of staff that declared a racial ‘state of emergency’.
The library has a ‘Decolonising Working Group’ which is part of the library’s BAME network. Reportedly this group raised concerns with a number of artefacts on display in the library including busts of the founders and a portrait of Mr Punch.
Ms Jolly’s views have been met by criticism on social media. The columnist Rita Panahi posted onto Twitter: ‘How can the British Library chief be so pig-ignorant? Racism is a creation of white people? Say that in Asia or the Middle East and they’ll laugh at you’. However, reacted to the comments in a positive way. Simon Tanner wrote: ‘I support the British Library, and Liz Jolly – in their engagement with anti-racism. The library is taking important and wholly sensible steps. Accurate reporting would reveal nothing less than a desire to better inform the public – which is central to their mission as a library’.
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Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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