Boston University announces plans to create a center for antiracist research

BOSTON — School officials from Boston University announced they will soon be launching a center for antiracist research. Plans for the program have been more than a year in the making. The announcement comes at a time where race and discrimination issues are at the forefront. School officials hope this will transform how racial research is done.

Author and professor Ibram X. Kendi will be leading the center. Boston 25 news spoke with Provost and Chief Academic Officer at the University who was instrumental in recruiting Kendi.

“He has the capacity to identify and develop the rigorous framework for understanding these deeply rooted problems,” said Morrison.

Morrison said the academic center will study social and racial justice and Kendi will collaborate with faculty and students to gather data on racial inequality.

After dozens of protests and silent vigils have taken place across Massachusetts, Morrison said there is now a need for immediate action to gather data and information necessary to understand how racism plays a role in history and right now in the United States.

“There are issues that he’s interested in that are policy issues, there are historical issues, there are archival issues, he has an expansive and aggressive view of the work that needs to be done,” said Morrison.

Morrison said this work will be an effort that’s unique to Kendi, she said he also has a goal of establishing a master’s degree in antiracism studies or an undergraduate major or minor. She also said BU will strongly consider the challenge made today by a university president in Minnesota to offer a scholarship in George Floyd’s name.

Kendi is in the process of moving to Boston and will speak with Boston 25 news in the weeks to come.

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