Black History Fact of the Day 28

In 1962, the Trinidad-born cricketer, lawyer, politician and broadcaster Sir Learie Constantine was awarded his knighthood while he was serving as High Commisioner to London for Trinidad and Tobago. Constatine who started his careers as a cricket player in the 1920s and played in test matches for West Indies until 1945. In the same year he was asked to serve as the president of the League of Coloured People in London. After receiving an MBE in 1946 he qualified as a barrister in 1954. He published his book 'Colour Bar' in the same year describing his experiences with racial prejudice during his time in England. He returned to Trinidad and in 1956 became its Minister for Communications. He spend most of his time after his knighthood in Britain broadcasting on the the BBC of which became governor. In 1967,  Constantine was elected rector of St Andrews University and  became the first black member of House of Lords in 1969. He resided in Lancashire until his death in 1971.

Information for this fact comes from the Oxford Companion to Black British History.

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