REST IN PEACE! The historian, researcher and campaigner, Professor Richard Pankhurst, died on February 16 201

University of Gondar president office, public and international relations directorate and all staff of the university express their deepest sorrow on the death of the historian, researcher and campaigner, Professor Richard Pankhurst, died on February 16 2017.
Richard Pankhurst was born in 1927 in London, England, in an enlightened family. His mother, Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst was a well-known Ethiopian activist, feminist and outspoken anti-fascist.

Prof. Pankhurst studied at Bancroft’s school in Woodford, then at the London school of economics from which he received his Ph.D. in Economic History and moved to Ethiopia in 1956 and began teaching at the then University College of Addis Ababa now Addis Ababa University. In 1962 he founded the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, located on the grounds of Addis Ababa University, and was the first Director of it. This is perhaps one of his more prominent contributions to Ethiopia as the Institute continues as the foremost center of research and learning on Ethiopia in the world today.
In 1976, following the Ethiopian revolution, Professor Pankhurst left Ethiopia and returned to England. In the next ten years he worked as a librarian at the Royal Asiatic Society. After a decade, Professor Pankhurst moved back to Ethiopia, where he was now conducting research again at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies.
Professor Pankhurst has authored or co-authored about 22 books and has edited about 17 books on Ethiopia. In addition, he has written more than 400 scholarly articles about Ethiopian history, culture, and tradition that appeared in numerous academic journals, magazines and newspapers throughout the world.
Professor Richard Pankhurst was also the prominent figure for the re-erection of The Aksum Obelisk to its original destiny, back from Italy to Ethiopia.
All staff of University of Gondar offer our heart-touching condolence on Professor Richard Pankhurst’s death once again and we wish a consolation for all his family and friends.