Wave of black studies programmes long overdue, scholars say

A new black studies minor will be offered to students of Ryerson University in the fall 2022 semester – and other similar programmes are in the works across the country, filling what scholars are calling a long-time curriculum gap at Canadian universities, writes Jenna Benchetrit for CBC News.

A successful programme at Dalhousie University, launched in 2016, marked the beginning of a new era in academic institutions. But black studies scholars and academics say that this new wave has been in the works for a long time. By all accounts, students are leading the charge for black studies curriculums at Canadian universities, and have been for years, with the support of faculty.

“I’m happy, but I’m not grateful. Let me put it that way,” said Afua Cooper, a black studies professor at Dalhousie University. “Because if it took white society and academia so long to recognise that, you know, the black experience is ... worthy of scholarly inquiry, then I’m kind of like, ‘Hmm’.”
Full report on the CBC site