Dr. Alwin Spence
I must like others commend Concordia University President Graham Carr, Professor Angelique Wilkie and her committee (President’s Task Force On Anti-Black Racism) for the actions that have been taken, vis-à-vis the formal apology for the Sir George Williams Computer Center incident of February 1967 .
An apology was long overdue.
I graduated in 1967 from Sir George Williams University, which is now Concordia University. I knew many of the Black Caribbean students who occupied the Computer Centre. I took classes with some of them, and I did visit them in the Centre bringing some food and drinks for them.
Before I graduated I had heard grumblings about low grades that some Black students were receiving, particularly from a certain professor. The course he taught was an important prerequisite for Medical School admission. A low mark in that course would definitely
reduce the chance of getting into what was already known as a difficult and competitive programme. So with strong evidence in hand the Black students respectfully lodged a complaint against this particular professor. This was not the first time a student or students collectively ask for a grade review. There is accommodation for this matter in almost every department. Efforts to resolve this impasse failed, and the students , not prepared to give in were labelled as troublemakers. The dynamic had changed from a professor / students relationship to look like a master / slave one. The master does not negotiate with the slaves, the slaves do what the master commands.
Meanwhile the administration seemed to be relying on the advice of some of the American faculty who wanted a U.S. solution. This was a terrible mistake.
In the Caribbean students have tremendous respect for their teachers at all levels, and students were always treated with dignity and care.
Also those Black students were coming from a majority situation where most of the students in any class would be Black, most of the teachers would also be Black, And most of their role models would also be Black. So a Black University student may decide to pursue medicine because he knows a Black medical doctor.
Fifty years ago it would not be so in the U.S. or Canada, so the Black American or Canadian student would not aspire to become a medical doctor. So the Black Caribbean student has a very strong self-worth, somehow different from the Black students who grew up in a minority situation as in the U.S. and Canada.
From the negotiation it became clear that there were high grades for white students and low grades for Black students.. For this there was no apology. That’s the way things are.
Of course, this did not sit well with the proud Black students, so although still afraid they protested this action by occupying the computer centre, which at that time was a prized place, the only one on campus. Now there are several.
The evidence was there, it was not an idle accusation, but the white masters did not acquiesce, not to subordinates especially if they are Black. The Administration shattered all hopes of a settlement when it promoted the professor in dispute. A slap in the face of the students.
Dr. Rodney John, one of the complainants, has survived and excelled academically. Several others have done well in spite of the scars of this unfortunate incident. Some never recovered and suffered physically and psychologically. Some continued and successfully reached their goals and taking their rightful place in society.
But the Sir George Williams Affair was just the tip of the iceberg. Similar treatment was given to Black students in the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal system. The Board which had a sizeable number of Black students attending, and because of racism or ignorance, many Black students were placed in dead-end classes which were below their capability.
Soon after they adjusted to their misdiagnosed level and fell through the cracks. The relegation of these elementary and High school students to lower grades just because they were Black was also an injustice.
While I am excited about the apology and the recommendations I must report that I have taught at Concordia for just about 40 years. Over these years I have made one very important observation which is that there is a sharp decline in the Black male student population .
If it has not changed since I retired and if it is not on your list of recommendations, PLEASE ADD IT.
One should not attempt to minimize the impact of the Computer Centre fire, and the blame placed squarely on the heads of these Black students. At my work that morning I was totally chastised for my support for these irresponsible students.
The news media was all over them. This apology is worth far more than the two million dollars lost in the computer destruction. It will buy back a little of the dignity the 97 students had lost. The Black community cautiously awaits.
Thanks, Apology is accepted. It is better to be late than never.
