Hollis Liverpool named UTT's professor emeritus

THE University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) has conferred the title of professor emeritus on Prof Hollis Liverpool, a scholar, cultural ambassador and educator whose work it said has shaped the academic and artistic landscape, locally and internationally.

This honour makes Liverpool the second academic to receive this distinction at UTT, the university said in a release, underscoring his unparalleled influence in education and culture.

Better known to many as the Mighty Chalkdust, Liverpool has been a pillar of academia calypso and history, blending intellectual rigour with artistic mastery. As a founding member of UTT’s Academy of Arts, Letters, Culture and Public Affairs in 2005, he played a key role in shaping its vision, serving as programme leader and later a senior academic fellow, the release said.

Beyond his work in the classroom and on stage, he shaped UTT’s strategic direction as a dedicated member of UTT’s board of governors from 2015-2023.

In 2019, Liverpool was awarded the Order of the Republic of TT, the nation’s highest honour, in recognition of his contributions to education, culture and research. This accolade followed his historic ninth Calypso Monarch title in 2017, further cementing his status as a national treasure. With over 65 years of experience as an educator at all levels – primary, secondary and tertiary – he has played an instrumental role in shaping young minds, and not so young, across the country and elsewhere, the release said.

A prolific author, Liverpool has chronicled the evolution of Caribbean culture and history, the release said, through his scholarly works, bolstering his status as a thought leader in the region. His contributions have not only preserved, but also elevated, the significance of calypso and Caribbean heritage on the global stage.

UTT said it was honoured to celebrate his lifelong commitment, and eagerly anticipated his ongoing role in shaping the future of Caribbean scholarship and the arts.