The Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy at The University of the West
Indies, Mona, is pleased to announce that Dr Janice Smith and Ms Khimaja Connell
accepted the Caribbean Philosophical Association’s first Frantz Fanon Posthumous
Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the late Professor Charles W. Mills at the
2026 meeting of the Caribbean Philosophical Association Conference: Shifting the
Geography of Reason, held at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York
City.
 
The award recognises Professor Mills’ outstanding contributions to philosophy and his
enduring commitment to advancing the struggle for a more humane humanity while
reshaping the geography of reason in the pursuit of dignity, liberation, and freedom for all.
In accordance with the wishes of the Caribbean Philosophical Association, the award will be
housed in the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy at The University of the
West Indies, Mona. As the academic home of one of the Caribbean’s most influential
philosophers, the Department is honoured to preserve this symbol of Professor Mills’
remarkable legacy, where it will serve as a lasting tribute to his life and scholarship while
inspiring present and future generations of Caribbean philosophers.

Professor Charles W. Mills, a distinguished alumnus of The University of the West Indies,
was internationally recognised as one of the foremost political philosophers of his generation.
His groundbreaking scholarship transformed contemporary philosophical discourse on race,
justice, social contract theory, and human liberation. Through works such as The Racial
Contract (1997) and his extensive contributions to Africana philosophy and critical race
theory, Professor Mills challenged established philosophical canons and advanced new ways
of understanding equality, democracy, and human dignity. His intellectual courage, clarity of
vision, and unwavering commitment to justice continue to shape philosophical thought across
the Caribbean and around the world.

The Department is privileged that this prestigious award will be permanently housed at The
University of the West Indies, Mona, where it will stand as a testament to Professor Mills’
enduring contributions to philosophy and serve as an inspiration to students, scholars, and
future generations committed to the pursuit of knowledge, justice, and human freedom.