The Sir George Williams (SGW) Affair is a riot that took place in 1969, at the university of the same name (now Concordia University). This affair was a pivotal moment for Montreal’s Black history, as it started due to the university’s unwillingness to condemn a teacher that was unfairly grading their Black students in a discriminatory manner.
Since the administration did not take matters into their own hands, students organized meetings, sit-ins, and protests. These matters escalated with the Black Power and Black Writers conferences at McGill University, increasing tensions between the Black SGW students, their allies, and the White administrative officers.
This committee will re-enact the many riots, tense talks, and historical moments that occurred during this simmering crisis. With the Sir George Williams affair, the Black Francophone and Anglophone communities within Montreal shaped Canadian history.
