NYU names UWI Vice-Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles distinguished scholar

New York University (NYU) has appointed University of the West Indies (UWI) Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles as a distinguished scholar for the 2026-2027 academic year, recognising a historian whose research has helped shape international discussions on slavery, reparations and the economic contributions of enslaved Africans.

Beckles will be hosted by NYU's Centre for the Study of Africa and the African Diaspora, led by Professor Michael Gomez.

The appointment brings Beckles back to NYU 32 years after he served as a visiting scholar at the university's Centre for Latin American and Caribbean Studies in 1994. He was succeeded in that role by Barbadian poet and scholar Professor Kamau Brathwaite.

“This is a valued expression of fellowship, especially as the Centre is renowned for its outstanding scholarship and research,” Beckles said.

He added that returning to NYU to work among leading scholars of African history would be particularly meaningful.

As distinguished scholar, Beckles will deliver a public lecture on Oct. 13 titled “The Economics of Wealth Creation: Why Enslaved Black Women Were the Financial Core of the Slavery Business Model.”

The lecture, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Hemmerdinger Hall in NYU's Silver Center in New York City, will examine the economic role of enslaved Black women in the business of slavery.

Beckles is an economic and social historian whose research has focused extensively on slavery in the Caribbean, particularly Barbados, as well as the experiences and resistance of enslaved Black women. His publications include Britain's Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide, The First Black Slave Society: Britain's “Barbarity Time” in Barbados, 1636–1876 and Natural Rebels: A Social History of Enslaved Black Women in Barbados, 1636–1834.

His scholarship has contributed to wider debates about the legacy of slavery and calls for reparatory justice. He chairs the Caribbean Community's Commission on Reparation and Social Justice and has held advisory roles with the United Nations and UNESCO.

Beckles studied economics and social history at the University of Hull in England, earning a bachelor's degree in 1979 and a doctorate in 1980. He subsequently built an academic career at UWI, becoming principal and pro vice-chancellor of its Cave Hill Campus in Barbados before being appointed the university's eighth vice-chancellor in 2015.

He also serves as chairman and chancellor of the United Nations University, a role that places him at the head of its governing council. His academic output includes more than 20 books and over 100 peer-reviewed journal essays, according to UWI.

The NYU appointment adds to a series of international honours. In 2022, Beckles was named an honorary international historian by the Association of American Historians. He was also appointed a distinguished chancellor's professor-at-large at Cornell University. In November 2025, the University of London awarded him an honorary Doctor of Social Sciences degree in recognition of his scholarship, university leadership and advocacy for social justice.

The latest recognition also brings renewed attention to UWI's role in Caribbean scholarship and international academic collaboration.

Registration details for the Oct. 13 lecture are available through the NYU Centre for the Study of Africa and the African Diaspora.