Reputable historian and vice-chancellor of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, has received recognition for his outstanding work in academics as well as in his roles as an administrator and social justice activist.
On December 15, the UWI Cave Hill Campus hosted the introduction of a tome titled Interrogating Injustices: Essays in Honor of Hilary McD. Beckles. The celebrations commemorating UWI’s 75th anniversary and Cave Hill’s 60th anniversary came to an end with this event.
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The over 1150-page festschrift, which was given to the professor as an homage, was a commemorative compilation of works by various writers to which 41 essays were donated by dozens of academics, including other historians from throughout the world.
Published by Caribbean-based Ian Randle Publishers, the remarkable collection was edited by Professor Verene Shepherd, Dr. Henderson D. Carter, and Dr. Ahmed N. Reid.
A lot of people had to unlearn inherited colonial history, including Professor Shepherd, Director of The UWI’s Centre for Reparations and Research, who was motivated by Sir Hilary. The prolific scholar initiative was approached methodically, according to the contributing author herself.
“We had to turn away a few articles…but we tried to accommodate as many people as possible. The whole project was meant to almost pattern the 10-point plan of the CARICOM Reparations Commission…It was a big project for a big intellectual and it took [a lot] of hours.”
Three of the pieces that were published were written by Dr. Carter, the head of Cave Hill’s Department of philosophy and History. He introduced the books as a celebration of Sir Hilary’s lengthy and illustrious career. He had met Hilary in 1985 and remembered him as a friend, fellow cricketer, and instructor.
The historian from Cave Hill claims that an attempt to gather academic works in honor of the academic was made in 2013, but it was shelved. He said that Professor Shepherd had revitalized and redesigned it in 2019.
“This book is our way of saying ‘thank you for your inspirational teaching, your inspirational supervision, your leadership in research, your foresight in creating heritage assets’…I’m proud to have been one of your students, proud to have been one of your cricketing friends.”
Professor Clive Landis, the pro-vice-chancellor and principal of the Cave Hill campus, who presided over the occasion, wrote a chapter about COVID-19, climate change, and chronic illnesses for the book The Triple Three Threat to the Caribbean. The festschrift, in his opinion, was appropriate for one of the Caribbean’s brightest minds.
Similar thoughts were voiced by Barbados’ ambassador to CARICOM, David Comissiong, in his remarks on Sir Hilary, citing his significance to Caribbean civilization.
“Your contribution has made a tremendous difference to our society. Our society is so much richer by the fact that you … chose to come back here and to place your intelligence and your intellect, your energy, and your services at our disposal and we would forever be grateful to you.”
Sir Hilary’s lifelong friend Dr. The Most Honourable Anthony “Mighty Gabby” Carter, Barbados’ cultural envoy, paid tribute in song.
The large number of friends, relatives, diplomats, and academics in attendance gave a standing ovation to a clearly emotional Sir Hilary, who expressed his overwhelming gratitude for the honor.
He cited guidance from his late father in his speech, sharing some of his experiences and explaining what kept him motivated throughout the years.
“You just do what’s in front of you. You get on with it and do your best and help out and that was always my perspective especially since, as an administrator of higher education, I could promote and assist in something that I believe in, which is making university education available to all who are willing and able. It breaks my heart even now, to know that in the English-speaking [Caribbean], we have the lowest enrollment in higher education in the entire hemisphere.”
Ian Randle Publishers and the UWI Cave Hill campus Bookshop are presently selling copies of Interrogating Injustices: Essays in Honor of Hilary McD. Beckles.
