Ibram X. Kendi's 'antiracism' center under investigation after complaints about culture, grant manag

September 25, 2024

BOSTON (TND) — Boston University is investigating Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research following complaints from former center staff members.

Kendi, born Ibram Henry Rogers, is an activist and author of several books examining racism, including "How to Be an Antiracist" and "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You." Both books have been challenged in public schools nationwide, with the latter being temporarily removed from a North Carolina school district this month following claims it tells history "from a twisted and biased perspective."

Kendi's Center for Antiracist Research focuses on "antiracism research in pursuit of social justice and equity," according to its website.

Under investigation at Kendi's center are issues related to “culture and grant management practices,” a Boston University spokesperson told The National Desk (TND) Thursday. The center, which was founded shortly after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, has raised tens of millions of dollars to finance a number of projects, including graduate programs, a racial disparities database and a media venture.

While some of these projects have come to completion, others have not, including the database, which some have described as the “centerpiece” of the organization.

"I don't know where the money is," a Boston University professor who previously worked at the center told The Boston Globe.

The investigation follows Kendi laying off more than half of center staff last week after returning from leave, prompting several to voice complaints about dysfunction within the organization.

“It was one of the most difficult decisions of my career to execute these layoffs,” Kendi told Axios. He explained, however, that the decision was made to “ensure that the Center of Antiracist Research will be around 50 years from now."

Kendi accused those laid off of being “disgruntled,” and he said their complaints have no footing.

“I'm really devastated, both because of having to lay people off, but then also because there's certainly disgruntled people who are sort of using the moment to express problems. And allegations that are baseless, unfounded,” he said.

Kendi describes himself as “one of the world’s foremost historians and leading antiracist scholars."

"We previously initiated an examination of those grant management practices and that will continue. Based on additional information provided to us, we are expanding our inquiry to include the Center’s management culture and the faculty and staff’s experience with it," a spokesperson for Boston University told TND. "We recognize the importance of Dr. Kendi’s work and the significant impact it has had on antiracist thinking and policy. Boston University and Dr. Kendi believe strongly in the Center’s mission, and while he takes strong exception to the allegations made in recent complaints and media reports, we look forward to working with him as we conduct our assessment."

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