News Releases

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles honoured by American Peers

For Release Upon Receipt - January 25, 2023

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Wednesday, January 25, 2023—The American Historical Association has voted to select Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Professor Sir Hilary Beckles as its Honorary Foreign Scholar for 2023.

The Association has annually recognised a foreign scholar since 1885, and the list includes the most acclaimed international historians. Beginning with Leopold von Ranke (1885), it showcases well-known names such as George Trevelyan (1944), Sir Winston Churchill (1963), Fernand Braudel (1966), Eric Hobsbawm (1994) and Ramachandra Guha (2019).

Past President of the Association, and Distinguished Professor at University of Wisconsin, James H. Sweet noted, “It is the judgement of the Association that the contribution of Professor Beckles, to historical scholarship, his efforts to internationalise historical study, and his crucial role as a mentor to other scholars does great honour to the discipline.”

Furthermore, Professor Sweet said, “In addition to his superb scholarship, activism, and administrative work at The UWI, Beckles has been a selfless supporter of scholars from around the world, including the United States. He has served as a Council Member for the Institute of Early American History and Culture, and as International Editor for the Journal of American History. Over the course of his career, he has offered personal support to U.S. professors and graduate students conducting research in the Caribbean.”

The Honorary Foreign Scholar award was presented at the Association’s 2023 ceremony in Philadelphia on January 5, 2023. In response, Professor Beckles noted, “This award by my American peers is among the greatest of academic honours, which I accept on behalf of The UWI that gave me the opportunity as a young historian to develop and contribute at the global level.”

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles is the second Caribbean scholar to receive the award, following the legendary Cuban historian Manuel M. Fraginals in 1998. The 2023 honour also follows Professor Beckles’ 2022 appointment as the President’s Honorary Visiting Distinguished Scholar at Cornell University, for six years. 

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About the American Historical Association

The American Historical Association is the largest professional organization serving historians in all fields and all professions. The AHA is a trusted voice advocating for history education, the professional work of historians, and the critical role of historical thinking in public life.

 About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for the past 75 years.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.

 

Learn more at www.uwi.edu  

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