As the first black valedictorian in Princeton University's 274-year history, Canadian student Nicholas Johnson used his address to the class of 2020 to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic and recent anti-racism protests in the U.S.
TORONTO -- A Canadian student named the first black valedictorian in Princeton University’s 274-year history used his address to the graduating class to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic and recent anti-racism protests in the U.S.
"Today marks a new beginning, with a truly unprecedented challenge… Let us rise to the occasion to make transformative strides in advancing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
Johnson said he wrote the speech with the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, but his words can also be taken in context of recent anti-racism protests demanding justice for Minnesota's George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes. Johnson said the protests make his achievement as Princeton's first black valedictorian even more significant given Princeton’s history of slave ownership.
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