By Canadian Press

Concordia University issues apology to Black community for history of racism

Oct 28, 2022 | 10:07 AM

Montreal’s Concordia University today issued a formal apology to Black communities for the harm caused by institutional racism and in particular for events that led to a landmark 1969 student protest.

University president Graham Carr says addressing the institution’s history of anti-Black racism is long overdue and a necessary step to move forward.

What became known as the Sir George Williams riot in 1969 began as a peaceful occupation against anti-Black discrimination at the university and escalated when police forcefully tried to evict the students.

A fire broke out, forcing students to flee the building, and in the end 97 students were arrested.

Concordia, which was formed in 1974 from the merger of Sir George Williams University and Loyola College, acknowledges in its apology the violent nature of some of those arrests and the lasting consequences for many of the people involved.

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: North Shore BIA working hard to develop a 'happening place'

5h ago

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Question of the Week

Should Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson apologize or resign after it was found he breached a section of council's code of conduct for allowing false or misleading information to be communicated?

Dec 09, 2024

The institution also says institutional racism persists today in higher education, and it is releasing a report by an anti-racism task force with recommendations to mend its relationship with Black communities in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2022.

— 

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

The Canadian Press