By Matt Buie, FSWC Educator

On March 21, 1960, 69 peaceful demonstrators lost their lives to the police force of Sharpeville, South Africa as they protested the “pass laws” that racially segregated parts of the population. Today, we recognize and honour the lives of those protestors by continuing to combat racism and discrimination around the world.

In recent decades, many societal improvements have extended equal opportunities to members of minority groups, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the US, the Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977 and the repeal of apartheid legislation in 1991in South Africa.

Although much has been done to dismantle discriminatory institutions and practices, racial discrimination still persists today. While overtly racist language and actions are less common, much of the racial discrimination people face is systemic in nature because discrimination has been built into the structures of society.

According to the American Psychological Association, minority communities are disproportionately affected by economic hardship. It also says members of minority communities have less access to quality healthcare and suffer from high levels of psychological distress due to discriminatory practices. Furthermore, due to racial stereotypes and prejudices, minority populations are more likely to be targeted by police. Indeed, the Government of Canada has publicly acknowledged that Black people are overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is not just a day to acknowledge these acts, but to advocate for the rights of all people. By continuing to raise awareness of discrimination, we can pursue the elimination of racial discrimination in all its forms.

More resources for the classroom:

Government of Canada - Guide to Courageous Conversations on Racism and Discrimination