The head of Britain's Eton College said Tuesday he will invite back a black former student to apologise in person for racism he experienced at the top fee-paying school in the 1960s.
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England's Eton College has become a byword for elitism and the class divide
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"We
have made significant strides since Mr Onyeama was at Eton but... we have to
have the institutional and personal humility to acknowledge that we still have
more to do," Henderson said in a statement.
"We
must all speak out and commit to doing better -- permanently -- and I am
determined that we seize this moment as a catalyst for real and sustained
change for the better.
"I
will be inviting Mr Onyeama to meet so as to apologise to him in person, on
behalf of the school, and to make clear that he will always be welcome at
Eton."
The
school's move follows anti-racism protests across Britain, sparked by the death
of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, during a police arrest in the United
States.
The
demonstrations have focused renewed attention on racism in Britain, as well as
the toxic legacy of its colonial past, including calls for it to be taught in
schools.
Nigerian
writer Onyeama, who graduated from Eton in 1969, wrote a book about his
experiences at the exclusive private boys' school, near Windsor, west of
London.
The school
has become a byword for elitism and Britain's class divide.
Annual fees
cost more than £42,000 ($52,000, 46,000 euros) per year. Old boys include Prime
minister Boris Johnson, and princes William and Harry.
Onyeama
told the BBC he had been taunted on a daily basis by fellow students, and asked
questions like "why are you black?" and "how many maggots are
there in your hair?"
When he
struggled in academics or flourished in sports, the students attributed it to
his race, while when he excelled in exams he was accused of cheating, the
broadcaster said.
After
detailing his experiences in a 1972 memoir, he received an official letter
informing him that he was banned from visiting Eton.
Onyeama
said although the apology now was not necessary, it "compels the
recognition that prejudice on the grounds of colour or race dehumanises its
victims in a way that ordinary forms of prejudice do not".
He added
that his overall experience at Eton was "positive".
Henderson
said he was "appalled" to learn of the racist abuse Onyeama faced,
and his "absolute priority" was to make Eton an "inclusive,
compassionate and supportive community for all".
"Racism
has no place in civilised society, then or now," he added.
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