Understanding the Contributions of Sir Hilary Beckles

Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles KA (born 11 August 1955) is a Barbadian historian. He is the current vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission.

Educated at the University of Hull in England, Beckles began his academic career at UWI, and was granted a personal professorship at the age of 37, becoming the youngest in the university’s history. He was named pro-vice-chancellor and chairman of UWI’s Board for Undergraduate Studies in 1998, and in 2002 was named principal of the university’s Cave Hill campus. Although his focus has mainly been on Afro-Caribbean history, especially the economic and social impacts of colonialism and the Atlantic slave trade, Beckles has also had a longstanding involvement with West Indian cricket, and has previously served on the board of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Beckles was born in Barbados, and began his secondary education at Coleridge and Parry Secondary School in Speightstown, Saint Peter, Barbados. He was sent to England to complete his schooling, attending Pitmaston Secondary School and the Bournville College of Further Education in Birmingham. Beckles went on to the University of Hull, completing a BA (Hons) and PhD with the university’s Department of Economic and Social History.

Beckles joined the University of the West Indies (UWI) as a history lecturer at its campus in Mona, Jamaica, in 1979, but transferred to its Cave Hill campus in 1984. Having been named a senior research fellow at the London-based Institute of Commonwealth Studies in 1986, he was named Chairman of the History Department at UWI in 1992, a role he served in until 1996, and he subsequently served as dean of the Faculty of Humanities from 1994 to 1998. Beckles received a personal professorship in 1993, the university’s youngest appointment to the position. His work has covered a variety of topics within the broader area of Afro-Caribbean history, with works covering early slave rebellions in Barbados, the role of women in the slave trade, and the greater effects of colonialism on present Barbadian society. Other works have focused more specifically on Barbadian history, including education, telecommunications, the labour movement, and sporting culture.

Sir Beckles has been outstanding in his academic work and achievements. His knowledge of Caribbean history is deep with profound implications of changes made to us as a people over centuries.

Sir Beckles has highlighted the need to recognise that the DNA of Caribbean people has been altered over time, due to extremely poor diet, such as Salt Fish and Salt Pork, fed to slave during times of dehumanisation of hard labour and lack of adequate food.

Source: Wikipedia