American Physical Society (APS) Statement Condemning Racism

NISO Member News

June 1, 2020

Dear APS Member,

We are horrified and deeply saddened by the killing of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, and other recent acts of violence, particularly against black people. We utterly condemn racism, for as Dr. Martin Luther King warned, "If we as a society fail, I fear we will learn very shortly that racism is a sickness unto death." We believe in and support social justice. While systemic racism and racial injustice persist in the US and across the world, we are especially concerned for colleagues of color and their families.

APS is firmly committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive physics community. We affirm and re-endorse the APS Board Statement on Racial Violence of 2017:

Physics flourishes best when physicists can work in an environment of safety, justice, and equity. Therefore, all of us must work vigorously against systemic racism and to overcome implicit biases. The Board of the American Physical Society believes that it is timely to reaffirm the importance of building a diverse and inclusive physics community, as expressed in the APS Joint Diversity Statement (Human Rights 08.2). The Board expresses deep concern over incidents of racially biased violence and threats of violence against people of color.

Consistent with APS's organizational values of "Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect", it is our responsibility, as leaders of this Society, to develop and support an equitable environment that is truly welcoming. Please know that this is our commitment to all of you. We are considering all measures within our powers to deepen this commitment through positive actions in support of our values.

Sincerely,

Philip H. Bucksbaum, Sylvester James Gates, Jr., Frances Hellman, David Gross, Andrea Liu, and Kate P. Kirby
2020 APS Presidential Line and Speaker of the Council, and CEO