Video: Brenda Dash
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THINK
The police treatment of the Black university students in the Sir George Williams affair was an example of police brutality and systemic racism. Why do you think this is an example of systemic vs. individual racism?
DO
There is very little media coverage of the Sir George William affair. Why do you think this is the case? Take some time to re-read the content in the sections below and try to write a paragraph of the Sir George Williams affair from Dash’s perspective.
Details
Date 2023
Materials - Film
Historical Context
Choose one of the three levels below to match your needs.
- This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, Black students at Sir George Williams University, now Concordia, complained that an instructor was giving them low marks because they were Black. - After the school dismissed their concerns, students organized a peaceful protest on campus.
- The university brought in the police, resulting in violence, many arrests, and the destruction of two million dollars worth of computer equipment.
- Those arrested faced years of police surveillance and had trouble finding meaningful jobs.
This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, West Indian students at Montréal’s Sir George Williams University, now Concordia University, lodged a formal complaint after a white biology teacher consistently gave Black students lower marks. The university took no action and eventually dismissed the complaints.
The students occupied a computer lab for 14 days. Even though the protest had been peaceful, the school brought in the police. Many protesters were arrested and two million dollars worth of computer equipment was destroyed.
Activist Brenda Dash played a key role in the protests but paid a big price: She was put under police surveillance and struggled to find meaningful employment because of her arrest record.
The “Sir George Williams Affair” is the largest student protest in Canadian history. Concordia issued a formal apology in 2022.
This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, West Indian students at Sir George Williams University in Montréal occupied a computer lab to protest the school’s handling of their accusations of racism. The complaints were against a white biology teacher who consistently gave Black students in the class lower grades, interfering with their ability to successfully apply to graduate programs.
Students lodged their complaints through official administrative channels, but the university took no action and eventually dismissed the complaints.
The 14-day sit-in was peaceful, but when negotiations failed, the administration called in the police to suppress the non-violent civil disobedience, resulting in the arrest of 97 protesters and the destruction of two million dollars worth of computer equipment.
Brenda Dash, who was called “a ringleader” of the protest, played a key role in exposing the issue of institutional racism, but she paid a price, with ongoing surveillance and a lack of meaningful job opportunities because of her arrest record.
Sir George Williams University merged with Loyola College in 1974 to become Concordia University. In 2022, Concordia issued a formal apology for mishandling the protests. Spokespeople acknowledged that institutional racism prompted university officials to involve the police to suppress the protests because the student protesters were primarily Black.
The “Sir George Williams Affair” is the largest student protest in Canadian history.
- This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, Black students at Sir George Williams University, now Concordia, complained that an instructor was giving them low marks because they were Black. - After the school dismissed their concerns, students organized a peaceful protest on campus.
- The university brought in the police, resulting in violence, many arrests, and the destruction of two million dollars worth of computer equipment.
- Those arrested faced years of police surveillance and had trouble finding meaningful jobs.
This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, West Indian students at Montréal’s Sir George Williams University, now Concordia University, lodged a formal complaint after a white biology teacher consistently gave Black students lower marks. The university took no action and eventually dismissed the complaints.
The students occupied a computer lab for 14 days. Even though the protest had been peaceful, the school brought in the police. Many protesters were arrested and two million dollars worth of computer equipment was destroyed.
Activist Brenda Dash played a key role in the protests but paid a big price: She was put under police surveillance and struggled to find meaningful employment because of her arrest record.
The “Sir George Williams Affair” is the largest student protest in Canadian history. Concordia issued a formal apology in 2022.
This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, West Indian students at Sir George Williams University in Montréal occupied a computer lab to protest the school’s handling of their accusations of racism. The complaints were against a white biology teacher who consistently gave Black students in the class lower grades, interfering with their ability to successfully apply to graduate programs.
Students lodged their complaints through official administrative channels, but the university took no action and eventually dismissed the complaints.
The 14-day sit-in was peaceful, but when negotiations failed, the administration called in the police to suppress the non-violent civil disobedience, resulting in the arrest of 97 protesters and the destruction of two million dollars worth of computer equipment.
Brenda Dash, who was called “a ringleader” of the protest, played a key role in exposing the issue of institutional racism, but she paid a price, with ongoing surveillance and a lack of meaningful job opportunities because of her arrest record.
Sir George Williams University merged with Loyola College in 1974 to become Concordia University. In 2022, Concordia issued a formal apology for mishandling the protests. Spokespeople acknowledged that institutional racism prompted university officials to involve the police to suppress the protests because the student protesters were primarily Black.
The “Sir George Williams Affair” is the largest student protest in Canadian history.
Summary
- This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, Black students at Sir George Williams University, now Concordia, complained that an instructor was giving them low marks because they were Black. - After the school dismissed their concerns, students organized a peaceful protest on campus.
- The university brought in the police, resulting in violence, many arrests, and the destruction of two million dollars worth of computer equipment.
- Those arrested faced years of police surveillance and had trouble finding meaningful jobs.
Essential
This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, West Indian students at Montréal’s Sir George Williams University, now Concordia University, lodged a formal complaint after a white biology teacher consistently gave Black students lower marks. The university took no action and eventually dismissed the complaints.
The students occupied a computer lab for 14 days. Even though the protest had been peaceful, the school brought in the police. Many protesters were arrested and two million dollars worth of computer equipment was destroyed.
Activist Brenda Dash played a key role in the protests but paid a big price: She was put under police surveillance and struggled to find meaningful employment because of her arrest record.
The “Sir George Williams Affair” is the largest student protest in Canadian history. Concordia issued a formal apology in 2022.
In-Depth
This is a video excerpt about the life of Brenda Dash, a key figure involved in the Sir George Williams affair.
In 1969, West Indian students at Sir George Williams University in Montréal occupied a computer lab to protest the school’s handling of their accusations of racism. The complaints were against a white biology teacher who consistently gave Black students in the class lower grades, interfering with their ability to successfully apply to graduate programs.
Students lodged their complaints through official administrative channels, but the university took no action and eventually dismissed the complaints.
The 14-day sit-in was peaceful, but when negotiations failed, the administration called in the police to suppress the non-violent civil disobedience, resulting in the arrest of 97 protesters and the destruction of two million dollars worth of computer equipment.
Brenda Dash, who was called “a ringleader” of the protest, played a key role in exposing the issue of institutional racism, but she paid a price, with ongoing surveillance and a lack of meaningful job opportunities because of her arrest record.
Sir George Williams University merged with Loyola College in 1974 to become Concordia University. In 2022, Concordia issued a formal apology for mishandling the protests. Spokespeople acknowledged that institutional racism prompted university officials to involve the police to suppress the protests because the student protesters were primarily Black.
The “Sir George Williams Affair” is the largest student protest in Canadian history.