Letter to Seymour Mclean from Michael Heston regarding inspection of Ethiopian manuscripts at British Library

About this item

This is a letter from Michael Helston of the UK Department of National Heritage to Seymour Mclean of Ras Tafari International Consultants dated 22 March 1995. It discusses an official inspection of Ethiopian manuscripts held at the British Library by representatives of the Ethiopian Embassy and UK officials. The letter outlines the positive cooperation in reviewing the manuscripts’ care and access arrangements.

Key points:
– The letter responds to earlier correspondence from Seymour Mclean to UK government officials.
– Officials from the Ethiopian Embassy, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Michael Helston inspected Ethiopian manuscripts at the British Library.
– Library staff demonstrated storage conditions, public access, and conservation methods for the manuscripts.
– The British Library maintains good relations with the Ethiopian Institute in Addis Ababa.
– Further action on the manuscripts is awaited from the Ethiopian Embassy, with the UK officials stepping back for now.

This letter connects to the theme of reparations by documenting diplomatic and cultural heritage discussions around Ethiopian artifacts held in UK institutions. Such exchanges are part of broader efforts addressing the care, access, and potential restitution of cultural property relating to formerly colonized nations. It reflects a moment when heritage, international diplomacy, and Black British political advocacy intersected.

Source note: The OCR transcript contains minor errors and some text cutoff; key facts have been interpreted cautiously to ensure accuracy.