Toward Reconciliation: The Impact of Acknowledgment and Apology on Educational Environments

Abstract

Apologies are powerful tools for reconciling past injustices and promoting equity when those apologies acknowledge systemic barriers that marginalized groups have historically faced. However, the actual impact of such acknowledgments in educational settings remains underexplored. This chapter examines a significant case where, in 1960, an African American graduate student was denied access to a mathematical organization's annual meeting due to racial segregation in the southern United States. Sixty-four years later, in 2024, the organization publicly issued a resolution of apology for this injustice. We explore the impact of this apology on the broader community of students, faculty, and staff who witnessed the public apology. This book chapter describes the observable impact based on survey data and observations. This case study examines how this apology resonated within the academic community, shedding light on perceptions of inclusivity, equity, and justice.