"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."
— Marcus Garvey
CLUB HISTORY
Queen’s Black Academic Society (QBAS) previously QCBI, was ratified under the AMS in the summer of 2011. After speaking with many students and sharing individual and collective experiences, it was realized that the services black students needed to fully integrate themselves into the Queen’s community were lacking. QBAS was formed to address this need. Through its programming, the group seeks to create a safe space and to foster a sense of community amongst black students, faculty, staff and alumni. We have been well received with great interest, and have quickly built a supportive community of students who feel welcome to share their personal thoughts and debate on social, political, and economic matters.
We use the term “Black” for a general understanding of our targeted group but understand that it is a loose term and is not sufficient to categorize peoples of varying origins and backgrounds. As such, we emphasize self-identification as an important component of our group. Through our efforts, we seek to provide the resources needed for black members of the Queen’s community to develop into socially aware, articulate and confident individuals.
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A Tribute to
Samuel Lowe
April 3, 2002 - September 8, 2026
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of QBAS Senior Advisor Samuel Lowe. Sam was a pillar of the Black community at Queen’s. He gave an extraordinary amount of himself to building spaces where Black students could feel supported, connected, and represented. In his time at Queen's, he played a key role in establishing the Black Liberation Commons, as well as implementing sustainable funding for both QBCC and QBAS. Sam would go on to impact Black students across the country by co-founding the Black Undergraduate Coalition (BUC), redefining what is possible for Black Student leaders. But to us, Sam was known for far more than his leadership and achievements. Above all, Sam was a mentor and a friend. He was someone who made time for others and shared his knowledge freely. His impact lives on in the spaces he helped build, the students he supported, and the community he strengthened. Our hearts are with Sam’s family, friends, loved ones, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. We are incredibly grateful for everything he gave to our community, and we will continue to honour his legacy.
- QBAS Executive Team