In spring 1968, six Caribbean students at Sir George Williams University filed a complaint against biology professor Perry Anderson, making a case that he practised racial discrimination in his courses. The University dismissed the complaint. In response, some 200 demonstrators held a peaceful sit-in. Forceful police intervention resulted in extensive property damage. The demonstration and its aftermath received international attention. Although the affair was widely publicised at the time as a “riot,” the demonstration and repercussions are now appreciated in the broader context of racism.
In October 2022, as one of the 88 Task Force recommendations, President Graham Carr delivered an official apology on behalf of Concordia University for its role in the 1969 “riots.”
Image: Sir George William University (today Concordia). The Henry F. Hall building in 1970, (photo by Conrad Poirier [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
