The recent passing of Professor Christopher A.D. Charles has brought deep sadness to The PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, where we benefited from his scholarship and commitment to Africa Caribbean reasoning.
Professor Charles was a Full Professor of Political and Social Psychology at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, with wide-ranging international experience, having taught at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York; Monroe College, New York; The King Graduate School; and the University of Missouri, Columbia.
As a notable scholar in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work, UWI, he has written extensively on the topics of Black identity, culture, football, and political psychology. His research has enriched national conversations on who we are as a people. As a Distinguished Scholar with The PJ Patterson Institute for Africa Caribbean Advocacy, Professor Charles was the main individual behind the founding of The Africa Caribbean Students’ Club in the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. Additionally, he was the Faculty Advisor and willingly assisted in various capacities.
He is remembered as a stoic, outspoken, yet calm and efficient academic. He was often quoted in the national media, having garnered wide respect for his viewpoints and informed perspectives on issues of national and regional importance.
His untimely passing is particularly shocking as Jamaica continues to process and respond to the effects of Hurricane Melissa, the most severe hurricane to have made landfall in the country. His insights would have been valuable on the psychological impact of this colossal tragedy.
The Institute extends heartfelt condolences to his family, close friends, the UWI community, and all who knew and worked with Professor Christopher A. D. Charles.
