Professor Christopher Charles remembered, celebrated with promises to his son

His determination was insatiable. He was as outspoken as he was dependable.

Those character traits were only trumped by his widely respected intellectual capacity to interrogate ideas, research, discuss, and conclude with clarity, boldness and care.

It was the sum total of the life and work of the late University of the West Indies Mona Campus Professor Christopher A.D. Charles who was taken suddenly on October 31.

At his thanksgiving service at the Mona Chapel yesterday, much of the celebration was in the spoken word, and friends, colleagues, ‘bonafides’ and associates alike came to praise him, speaking to his contribution in academia and to the Jamaican political and social landscape, making sure that the good was not interred with his remains.

However, if Charles was there yesterday, he would have heard the promise made by head of the Department of Government Dr Lisa Vasciannie, to his son and only child, Yaron. Speaking directly to Yaron, she told him they were always family and made the pledge to the 23-year-old that he will be embraced by her and the faculty.

“To his beloved son, Yaron, Master Charles. I am talking to you now, Yaron. I want you to look around the chapel today and see the community of people who care deeply about you and people who want to support you. I think I understand the impulse of a young man, a man who wants to chart his own path in this world, sometimes in a direction that he feels must be the complete opposite of his father. I have one of you at home,” said Vasciannie.

Continuing, she said: “That is natural and it is a part of becoming who you are meant to be. But I hope that even a tiny bit Yaron, you will embrace this community, and this family of support. I want you to know, like truly know, not with your head [but] with your heart, that your father loved you. He spoke about you often. Actually, he spoke about you at every possible opportunity. And he expressed that love that was genuine and unmistakable to those of us who knew him well. Rest assured, Yaron, that he saw your potential, and he knew you were making your way. Because, guess what? You carried the best parts of him, the intellect, the wit, the way you weave your words, and yes, perhaps, even in that strong willed determination to do things your own way.”

She told him his father loved him and was proud of him, telling him that “Your father, Professor ‘Bad African’ Charles was proud of you and we stand with you, today, and beyond today, even as you try to reconcile your own paths.”

Describing the late professor of political and social psychology as an advocate for research and social justice, and a close personal friend, she said he believed that scholarship must be grounded in service to the Jamaican people.

“Professor Charles’ intellectual legacy is vast and deeply rooted in the Caribbean social and political landscape. His teaching and research spanned political psychology, social identity and body modification, psychology and law, crime and violence, sexuality and popular culture. He was a fearless scholar, unafraid to interrogate difficult truths and illuminate the complexities of Caribbean society through rigorous, interdisciplinary inquiry… ,” she said in tribute to Charles, a Kingston College Old Boy who treated his school like a person for whom he had the greatest affection.

Past and present boys and men of the North Street institution paid tribute the fallen 'Fortis' man, with the college choir paying tribute in song, while the elders gave tribute in the spoken word.

Dr Vasciannie, said the late Professor Charles was “an extraordinary scholar and fearless thinker” and whose intellectual presence shaped every space he occupied. He was the faculty’s most outstanding researcher in 2025 whose research areas are limitless.

It was during the service tributes that the congregation heard that Charles was nicknamed Douglas 'Dougie' Bell, one of the famed footballers of the college, and of whom he often spoke so frequently, that he too was called Dougie Bell, but without the football prowess.

The congregation heard of Charles’ determination to succeed in all he did including table tennis, moving from being the beaten stick in table tennis in his yard among friends, to beating them all a year later and becoming champion.

But perhaps his seminal work on skin bleaching, was the area for which he was most regaled, as well as his love for all things political, epitomising Aristotle in his work

Politics that, “Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal.” This would take him into political forecasting, analysis and was the consummate journalist’s go-to analyst.

Skin bleaching, which was the thesis of his doctorate, Charles examined the physical, emotional, psychological and psychosocial element of skin-bleaching often taking the discourse to the soul of the matter.

Yaron in his tribute to his father, referred to Dr Vasciannie, and Dr Nicola Satchell, who also gave tribute called them “aunty” on the day but made it known that he would shortly revert to their titles as Doctors. Recounting the many words he has heard since the untimely passing of his father made him realize that he had a lot work to do adding that it showed the power of family. He described November 1, as the day he heard the horrible news of his father’s death but said his family has been there for him.

“My family has circled around me, has helped me do all of this. Without them I could not do it. Without my friends, as well, being there for me and keeping me even though as much as I try to push them away and act like I don’t need them, but I do, and I am sorry. I love you all,” he began.

“But what can I say about my dad. You have given me so much that I have ever known. To be quite frank I’ve only known him for 23 years. I met him in 2002. I don’t know that much…,” said young Charles to much laughter.

“But, if you want to know, if I am hurting, I am. It takes a lot for me to say that. I feel guilty. I feel angry. I feel scared. I feel lonely, I feel all these things. As much as I don’t cry around people, I do feel those things. But what I want to ask you, is not a remembrance in the traditional sense, it’s a plea. I will start this off by saying, I am not going to ask you to move on. My friends and my family knows that I utterly detest ‘move on’ as it trivializes the feelings that you have. Own the feelings and let them mould you…” he asked.

He said with both of his parents being university lecturers, one becoming a professor, it was not an easy feat. He said at the age of 14 years on Kingston College’s Melbourne Campus, he always thought of his future being tied to the success of his parents.

He said, both parents told him they had finished their journey and his was only beginning and their success had no bearing on his. They told him he could be anything he wanted to be, as long as it was what he wanted and uniquely his.

He described his father’s studies and interests, as all coming back to identity.

At the end of his tribute he once again urged the people around him to move forward.

His nephew, Ronald Carter, described as a big brother more than an uncle, told the congregation that Christ and himself struggled when their family moved away and he was in charge. But a government job, which allowed him to buy a car their lives and it was all wrapped up in his studies.

Charles, came from the bowels of the Jamaican society and was deeply rooted in country and love for his people, especially them and their identity.

The thanksgiving service had massive support from the academic community and politics.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding said Charles was chair of the appraisal committee which was examining the reasons for the party’s falter in the September general elections.

He described Charles as someone who believed that all ideas should contend, even if he disagreed, and was willing to embrace especially those that did not align with him.

Other tributes were offered by Dr Donna Hope, head of the Caribbean Studies Association, Dr Kevin Brown from Kingston College Old Boys and Dr Tony Talbert.

Charles described himself as “a psychologist with teaching and research interests in political psychology, social identity and body modification, social representation, psychology and law, crime and violence, sexuality, and popular culture. I operate a consultancy in sport psychology, and sleep disorders from a behavioural perspective.

The service ended with the playing of Bob Marley’s One Love.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com