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The James Robinson Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies is a national senior academic post covering all of Canada, based at Dalhousie University in recognition of the unique historical presence of Black people in the area. The aim of the Chair is to act as a catalyst for the creation of a Centre of Excellence in Black Canadian research, a clearing house for material relating to Black Canadian scholarship, and a Centre for coordinating major local, national and international conferences on Black Canadian research. It is developing as an important Centre for Black community development, and as a crucible for the development of aspirant scholars in Black Canadian studies. The Chair has a local, national and international perspective based on the belief of a connection between Black people and that their patterns of potential shared experience merit exploration.
In short, the uniqueness of the James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies lies, in my view, in the structure of a senior academic position which is inextricably linked with the issues and concerns of a unique set of constituencies who identify themselves as Black of African descent. The program of the rotating Chair over the six year tenure must reflect those issues and concerns, and ultimately be accountable to this set of constituencies, as well as to Dalhousie University in view of the academic seniority of the post.
- David Divine
