Hilary Beckles

**Sir Hilary McDonald Beckles** KA (born 11 August 1955) be Barbadian historian. He be de current vice-chancellor of de University of de West Indies (UWI) den chairman of de CARICOM Reparations Commission.

Educated at de University of Hull insyd England, Beckles begin ein academic career at UWI den be granted a personal professorship at de age of 37, becoming de youngest insyd de university ein history. He be named pro-vice-chancellor den chairman of UWI ein Board for Undergraduate Studies insyd 1998, den insyd 2002 be named principal of de university ein Cave Hill campus. Although ein focus has mainly been on Afro-Caribbean history, especially de economic den social impacts of colonialism den de Atlantic slave trade, Beckles has sana had a longstanding involvement plus West Indian cricket den has previously served on de board of de West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

## Biography

### Early life
Dem born Beckles insyd Barbados, wey he begin ein secondary education at Coleridge den Parry Secondary School insyd Speightstown, Saint Peter, Barbados. Na dem send am to England make he plete ein schooling, attending Pitmaston Secondary School den de Bournville College of Further Education insyd Birmingham. Na Beckles go on to de University of Hull, completing a BA (Hons) den PhD plus de university ein Department of Economic den Social History.

### Academic career
Beckles join de University of de West Indies (UWI) as a history lecturer at ein campus insyd Mona, Jamaica insyd 1979, but transferred to ein Cave Hill campus insyd 1984. Na dem name am a senior research fellow at de London-based Institute of Commonwealth Studies insyd 1986, na dem name am Chairman of de History Department at UWI insyd 1992, a role na he serve insyd until 1996, den he subsequently served as dean of de Faculty of Humanities from 1994 to 1998. Na Beckles receive personal professorship insyd 1993, de university ein youngest appointment to de position. Ein work dey cover a variety of topics insyd de broader area of Afro-Caribbean history, plus works covering early slave rebellions insyd Barbados, de role of women insyd de slave trade, den de greater effects of colonialism on present Barbadian society. Na oda works focus more specifically on Barbadian history, wey include education, telecommunications, de labour movement, den sporting culture.

### Involvement plus cricket
Having authored several papers den essays on de role of cricket insyd British West Indian culture, Beckles be de driving force behind de establishment of de Centre for Cricket Research at de Cave Hill campus insyd 1994, which dey result insyd de refurbishment of de on-campus 3Ws Oval. Two years later, insyd 1996, he convince de West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to organise a match between de touring New Zealanders wey a team dem select by de university ein vice-chancellor. Matches between touring sides den de Vice Chancellor ein XI have since become a regular, almost annual, event. Insyd 1999, Beckles publish a two-volume series on de history of cricket insyd de Caribbean, entitled *The Development of West Indies Cricket*. Three years later, prior to de start of de 2002–03 cricket season, de WICB announce dat de expanded Red Stripe Bowl, de premier limited-overs competition insyd de West Indies, will feature de university ein cricket team. UWI ein two-season stint insyd de tournament be largely a result of Beckles ein efforts. He remain a director of what be now de C. L. R. James Centre for Cricket Research (named insyd honour of C. L. R. James), den sana be overall sports coordinator for de university.

### Oda positions
Beckles dey serve on de editorial boards of chaw academic journals, wey dey include *William and Mary Quarterly*, *Journal of Caribbean History*, den *Sports in Society*, wey he be an international editor for de *Journal of American History*. Outside of academia, na he fill de following positions:

* Leader of Barbados delegation, 2001 World Conference Against Racism
* Director, ICC West Indies Cricket World Cup, Inc. (2005–2007)
* Independent Director den Member of Corporate Governance & Ethics Committee, Sagicor Financial Corporation (2005 onwards)
* Director, Sagicor Life Jamaica Limited (2006 onwards)
* Board member, Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (2013 – 2015)
* Chair, CARICOM Reparations Commission

## Awards den honours

* Na dem name Beckles "Author of de Year" insyd 1991 by Barbados Cultural Promotions 
* *We Now Have a Country*, a documentary wey na he wrep, narrate, den co-direct, dem name "Documentary of de Year" insyd 1993 by de Barbados Association of Journalists. De following year, na dem name am de inaugural winner of de UWI Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence insyd de Field of Research. 
* Insyd 2004, na dem award Beckles an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by ein *alma mater*, de University of Hull. 
* Na he since receive equivalent honorary degrees from de Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, insyd November 2009, den from de University of Glasgow, Scotland, insyd June 2011. 
* Insyd November 2007, na dem make Beckles a Knight of St. Andrew, de highest honour possible insyd de Order of Barbados.
* Insyd December 2021, na dem award Beckles de Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda's Faithful and Meritorious Award's highest honour, de Cross and Plaque. De award dey recognise Beckle ein "distinguished service to UWI den de Caribbean".

## Criticism
Na sam of Beckles ein actions, wey dey regard ein role insyd both sports den academics at de university, be controversial. Na one commentator accuse am of engaging insyd de "exploitation of de nation ein traditional love of education den qualifications", wey dey refer to Beckles ein role insyd de university ein development as "empire-building"; Insyd May 2011, na Beckles make a statement wey dey suggest say na Chris Gayle be de "don" of West Indian cricket, wey he dey compare am to Jamaican drug lord Christopher Coke (otherwise dem know as "Dudus"). Na de West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) subsequently wrep to de WICB den UWI wey dem dey ask for Beckles ein dismissal from de board, wich no happen.
## Bibliography dem select
* *Afro-Caribbean Women and Resistance to Slavery in Barbados*, Karnak House, 1988. 
* *The Development of West Indies Cricket: The Age of Globalization*, vol. 2, Pluto Press, 1999. 978-0745314723
* *The Development of West Indies Cricket: The Age of Nationalism*, vol. 1, Pluto Press, 1999. 
* *Liberties Lost: The Indigenous Caribbean and Slave Systems*, with Verene A. Shepherd, Cambridge University Press, 2004. 
* *A History of Barbados: From Amerindian Settlement to Caribbean Single Market*, Cambridge University Press, 2006. 
* *Britain's Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide*, University of the West Indies Press, 2012. 
* *Cricket without a Cause: Fall and Rise of the Mighty West Indian Test Cricketers*, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers, 2017. 
* *How Britain Underdeveloped the Caribbean: A Reparation Response to Europe's Legacy of Plunder and Poverty*, University of the West Indies Press, 2021. 
## References