James Cameron Tudor

Sir James Cameron Tudor (October 18, 1919 - July 9, 1995) was a distinguished Barbadian politician and educator who has the distinction of being the first black person to be elected president of the prestigious Oxford Union. During his time at Oxford in the early 1940s, he was a contemporary of many persons, including the late Sir Roy Jenkins, who went on hold key positions in the British establishment. He knew them on a first name basis.

After graduating from Oxford, he taught for a while both in his native Barbados and in then British Guiana. He was first elected in 1951 to the Barbados House of Assembly, where his father, James Arthur Tudor, a prominent city merchant, and brother Martin had previously served. However, he soon fell out with the Barbados Labour Party and ran as an independent in a 1953 by-election in the parish of St Lucy, handsomely winning and breaking the BLP's dominance on the Barbadian political scene. This landmark victory launched a reform movement that eventually led to the formation of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 1955. It took place in the beachfront home of his sister, Elsie Tudor.

Tudor was a key lieutenant of National Hero and Barbados' first prime minister, Rt. Excellent Errol Barrow, serving as education minister in the first DLP administration (1961-66) and overseeing the introduction of free education, a major contributor to the subsequent transformation of the social and economic landscape of Barbados. In 1966, Tudor played a key role in securing Independence for Barbados at a time when it seemed impossible because the talks were deadlocked. He made it possible through his relationship with persons in the British establishment and was the person who chose November 30, St Andrew's Day, as the date for Barbados to achieve political independence.

After the 1966 general election, he was elevated to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Caribbean and Latin American Affairs. After retiring from the House of Assembly as the MP for St Lucy in 1971, he was appointed to the Senate and served for a while as foreign minister before stepping down to take up an appointment as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He also served briefly in 1976 as Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

When the DLP regained office following the 1986 general election after 10 years in opposition, he was appointed a second time as foreign minister and leader of government business in the Senate. He stepped down in 1990 and was appointed high commissioner to Canada. Tudor, who was close to the British Royalty, was one of the best political orators to have graced the Caribbean. He mesmerized audiences with his command of the English language and spoke with the fine elegance of an Oxonian.

Also regarded as a political strategist of extraordinary ability, he was nicknamed the "king maker" because of his role in the selection of both Barrow and Erskine Sandiford as DLP leaders and prime ministers. He died on July 9, 1995 and was accorded an official funeral. His remains were interred in the yard of the St Lucy Parish Church.