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October 4, 2004

Hundreds of supporters at James R. Johnston event

by Charles Crosby

More than 240 enthusiastic people packed the celebration of a milestone in the life of the James Robinson Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies. The recent event in University Hall officially introduced Professor David Divine to the community.

David Divine has been named the new James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies at Â鶹´«Ã½. Professor Divine will hold the Chair through the Maritime School of Social Work, which will host the national Chair, following six years during which the Chair was held through the Â鶹´«Ã½ Law School.

Though he has been working diligently since the beginning of the year, traveling, networking and getting to know the region, Professor Divine's tenure as Chair was officially launched Monday, September 20th in University Hall. More than 240 enthusiastic people packed the room to celebrate this milestone in the life of the JRJ Chair. The event saw the unveiling of the goals for the Chair over the next six years and officially introduced Professor Divine to the community. Guests from across Canada attended the event, which featured supportive remarks from African Nova Scotian Affairs Minister Barry Barnet and Dartmouth MP Michael Savage.

Justin Johnston, a direct descendant, is the author of a forthcoming biography of James Robinson Johnston. He is joined by the most senior living relative of James Robinson Johnston, Mr. Johnston. (shown left to right)

"I'm thrilled for the opportunity to take the James R. Johnston Chair in a new direction," Divine says. "We have an exciting plan with goals that revolve around creating a Centre of Excellence in Black Canadian Research, a clearing house for material relating to Black Canadian scholarship, a centre for coordinating conferences on Black Canadian research-local, national and international, a centre for Black community development and a place where scholars interested in Black Canadian studies, can be developed. There is much to do but I am very excited to take on this challenge."

Professor Divine comes to Â鶹´«Ã½ from London, England where he was managing Director of his own consultancy company covering Social Housing, Social Care and Health. He was also Visiting Senior Lecturer and Tutor at the Metropolitan University School of Social Work in London.

Robert Ferris, Programs, Library and Archives Canada; Professor David Divine, James Robinson Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies; The. Hon. Barry Barnet, MLA Hammonds Plains - Upper Sackville and Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs; and Gabrielle Blais, Director General, Libary and Archives Canada at the Sept. 20 event. (shown left to right)

The Maritime School of Social Work will embark upon an ambitious program making the most of professor Divine's talents. "The School of Social Work is delighted to host the James R Johnston Chair for the next six years, and to have recruited Professor David Divine to the position," says Wanda Thomas Bernard, Director of the School. "Given the School's longstanding history of community outreach, teaching and research on equity and diversity issues, we are in an excellent position to support the work of the Chair and look forward to the opportunity for collaborative work with Professor Divine."

The James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies is a national senior academic post covering all of Canada, based at Â鶹´«Ã½ in recognition of the unique historical presence of a Black people in the area. Over the next six years the Chair will have a local, national and international perspective based on a belief of a connection between Black people who identify as Black and that possible patterns of shared experience merit exploration.