Concordia to offer Quebec’s first minor in Black and African Diaspora Studies

“These are aspects of our history that have been sidelined or missed," said Christiana Abraham, senior lecturer who will lead Concordia's minor in Black and African Diaspora Studies in the Canadian Context - a new program. Tehosterihens Deer reports.

Concordia University is set to offer a new program in September: a minor in Black and African Diaspora Studies in the Canadian Context.

The course will explore Black history, experiences, and academic thought with a focus on the unique historical and cultural context of Canada. It will be the first program of its kind in Quebec.

“These are aspects of our history that have been sidelined or missed, are very, very marginalized, and it’s about time that we focus on our history,” said Christiana Abraham, a senior lecturer in communication studies who will lead the program.

The creation of the program follows recommendations from Concordia’s President’s Task Force on Anti-Black Racism following the death of George Floyd in 2020.

“Black students in particular have been demanding this,” Abraham said. “Black students, when they come to Canada, when they come to a university like ours, want a broader curriculum with broader worldviews. For too long, they have not seen themselves reflected in curriculum.”

“This program underscores our commitment to combat anti-Black racism and foster Black inclusion in higher education,” added Anne Whitelaw, the provost and vice-president of academic at Concordia.

The program will offer a 24-credit curriculum that draws on courses from the Faculty of Arts and Science and the Faculty of Fine Arts. New courses like Introduction to Black Studies in the Canadian Context and Black Montreal, taught by historian Dorothy Williams, will be part of the minor.

Abraham noted the 1969 Sir George Williams University student protest against racism was a catalyst for this program.

“During that time, when you look at the archives at Concordia, you look at the student newspapers, there’s a very strong demand already,” she said. “The language of Black studies is out there. So the university has been grappling with this for more than 50 years.”

Concordia University in downtown Montreal on Feb. 3, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)

The program recognizes that Black populations in Canada have distinct histories compared to those in the United States, particularly with many Black Canadians having Caribbean roots.

“Looking at the Black presence in Canada is something that is under-recognized, undervalued, and the contributions that Black Canadians have made to this society and continue to make to this society. Those contributions are not small,” explained Angélique Willkie, a special advisor to the provost on Black integration and knowledges.

“I think it’s super important as well to remember that this is just one piece of a puzzle. So it’s great that the program exists, but there’s a lot of other work still required around that. And even as the program exists, it can’t be considered a destination. It’s a stepping stone.”

Christiana Abraham (left), the inaugural director of the Black and African Diaspora Studies, and Angélique Willkie (right), the special advisor on Black integration and knowledges. (Courtesy: Mélanie Guérin, Cloé-Pluquet, Concordia)

Concordia says the course is a way to ensure Black students see their lived experiences reflected in their education.

The program will accept 25 students in its first year, with plans to expand. Applications end March 5.

“We are uncovering a hidden history of Black Canadians,” said Abraham. “It’s an exciting moment for Black studies in Canada, and we hope it will spark further research and engagement in this growing field.”

The program will also discuss the diasporic migration: the study that examines the movement of people from their homelands, in Canada and the United States, with the goal of enriching the student experience.

Both Abraham and Willkie say the goal is to one day create a major.

“Even as Concordia initiates this program, I’m not interested in it existing in a vacuum in Quebec either, right?” Willkie said. “My hope is that this initiative from Concordia allows it to be a catalyst, a stepping stone, a kind of small trampoline for other initiatives to emerge in the other institutions.”

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