In its 274-year history, Princeton University has never had a Black valedictorian. That all changes on Sunday, May 31, when Montrealer Nicholas Johnson officially graduates from the prestigious university, while carrying the torch as valedictorian for the class of 2020.

“That felt really empowering, given the university’s troubled beginnings,” Johnson said from his parents’ house in Outremont.

Johnson was referring to Princeton’s historical links to slavery — the first nine Princeton presidents owned slaves, and many of the founding trustees were slaveholders.

“I hope this achievement can serve as an source of inspiration for other Black students and really all students, regardless of race and gender, who strive to pursue their passions and might have to break barriers,” Johnson said.

The honour is a proud moment for Johnson’s family, who also hope it also serves an an inspiration.

“It also gives inspiration I think to other other black youth who might be questioning their abilities to excel or achieve their goals,” said Dr. Anita Brown Johnson, Nicholas’ mother.

“It demonstrates to them it is possible to achieve whatever you set your mind to.”

As a child, teachers knew Johnson was destined for great things.

“I can always remember him when he was younger,” said said Hal Hannaford, Selwyn House School’s headmaster. “There was an intensity. There was a drive. He was always engaged.”

Johnson attended the prestigious private boys’ school in Westmount from kindergarten to Grade 11. He graduated as head prefect and class valedictorian in 2015.

“He was an exceptionally hard worker, and more important he was a good guy,” Hannaford said.  “He was revered by his peers, by his teachers.

“He was just a real example of a good guy who worked hard and look what happens.”

But Johnson didn’t just focus on academics. He learned to play basketball with Montreal Community Cares, a local organization helping empower Black youth. While at Selwyn, Johnson helped host a toy drive and fundraiser for the organization, and has also volunteered there.

“He’s inspiring to me, let alone to younger people,” said founder Denburk Reid. “It does help our younger kids who may not have known him, just seeing he was part of the program and seeing where he is at also inspires them to say, ‘Hey, we can do something too.’”

Johnson credits his parents and upbringing for creating an environment that espoused hard work, and academic rigor. Both his parents are high achievers academically, with his mother serving as an assistant professor at McGill University.

“Well to us we are immensely humbled by (the Princeton honour) and quite touched. We were not expecting this in any way,” said Brown Johnson. “That is not to say we don’t have high expectations for Nicholas. He is capable of anything. But just in terms of the odds, it’s not like this is something we expected.”

At Princeton, Johnson studied operations research and financial engineering. He will deliver his commencement speech virtually on Sunday.

“I really hope to inspire my classmates to have the confidence to still go out in the world and to tackle the most pressing challenges in the context of graduating into a global pandemic, graduating into a world environment that has never been seen before,” he said.

Princeton has said it hopes to hold a real ceremony in May 2021.

As for Johnson, he has internships this summer lined up, and then will continue on to MIT, to pursue a PhD.

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