LEARIE CONSTANTINE

'Learie Nicholas Constantine, Baron Constantine', Kt, MBE (21 September 1901 –1 July 1971) was a cricketer, broadcast journalist, administrator, lawyer, and politician.
Born in Diego Martin in Trinidad and Tobago, the son of Lebrun Constantine, a cricketer, he worked in a solicitor's office before beginning a career in cricket. He made his debut while touring England in 1928. The following year, Constantine moved to England and joined the Nelson team in the Lancashire Cricket League. Against England in 1930, Constantine bowled West Indies to their first win in a Test match. He also played an important role in West Indies winning the series against England in 1934-35.
A dashing all rounder, Constantine at his peak was a mercurial bowler of genuine pace, an athletic fielder in an era where such men were the exception rather than the rule, and a flashing stroke player capable of tearing any attack to shreds on his day. In the days before West Indians were seen in county cricket, Constantine became a legend in the highly competitive Lancashire Leagues where his deeds, and demeanour, are remembered to this day. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1940.
After retiring from cricket, he became a commentator for the British Broadcasting Corporation. During the Second World War, Constantine worked as a welfare officer for the Ministry of Labour. Based in Liverpool, his main responsibility was to help West Indian immigrants find employment in Britain. In 1943, Constantine was refused service in a British hotel because of his colour. He took the owners of the hotel to court and won his case. Later he wrote ''Colour Bar'' (1954), with his friend, C. L. R. James. The book dealt with racial prejudice in Britain. After studying law, Constantine gained entrance to the English bar in 1954. Later he returned to Trinidad and Tobago where he became involved in politics.
A member of the People's National Movement, he served in the government as Minister of Community Works and Utilities. When Trinidad gained independence, he became his country's first High Commissioner in London. In 1964 he resigned but stayed in Britain where he held several important positions. This included being a Governor of the BBC and a member of the Race Relations Board and the Sports Council.
He was awarded the MBE in 1945 and knighted in 1962. He was made an honorary Master of the Bench in 1963. In 1969 he became the first person of African descent to be given a life peerage, being created 'Baron Constantine', of Maraval in Trinidad and Tobago and of Nelson in the County Palatine of Lancaster. Lord Constantine died of lung cancer in Hampstead, London, on 1 July 1971.
Learie Constantine settled in Lancashire with his family. Lancashire was a community where black Londoners were a novelty. They endured racism and discrimination, but the Constantines stuck it out and eventually became first class citizens. They won the respect and friendship of many of the locals. The Trinidadian author and scholar who had also settled in Britain, CLR James, helped Constantine write his first book entitled, Cricket and I in 1933.
In 1933 Constantine was asked by the Ministry of Labour to become a civil servant in the welfare department. In 1943 he was taking a vacation and was the cricket captain for the West Indies. He and his family had reservation to stay in the Imperial Hotel. He was reassured that he and his family were welcomed and would be treated with the utmost respect. This was not the case, when they arrived at the Imperial hotel his family were not welcomed. They were treated as outcast and Constantine was outraged. Constantine brought a civil action against the Imperial hotel for breach of contract and racial discrimination.
The judge who heard the case was sympathetic to Constantine and his family. He accepted the case and accepted the evidence brought by Constantine and his legal team. He rejected the evidence of the Imperial hotel that they showed no discrimination based on Constantine’s skin color. Constatine sat on the witness stand with dignity and pose and answered all the questions with intelligence and truth. He was awarded £5 in damages. This ruling unfortunately did not end the colour band in respects to British hotels and other public establishments. In 1946 two other influential Britain blacks were refused admission into a prominent West End London restaurant.
Constantine eventually became a popular broadcaster and was awarded the MBE in 1945; he was called to the Trinidad bar in 1955 and served as Trinidad and Tobago’s high commissioner from 1961 to 1964. He was knighted in 1962. [1][2]
With Denzil Batchelor, he wrote ''The Changing Face of Cricket'', Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1966.

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★ Biography by George John.