Hyacinth M. Simpson

Dr. Hyacinth Simpson serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of English and the Dimensions Faculty Chair within the Faculty of Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University. She has been a key figure in advancing Caribbean, Black, and Decolonial studies at TMU since 2005.

Education:

• BA Honours and MPhil from the University of the West Indies, Mona
• PhD from York University

Research Interests: Dr. Simpson's scholarly work centers on Caribbean and Black Studies, Decolonial Theory, and Postcolonial Literature, with specific expertise in migration and diaspora studies, transnational movements, short fiction, orality, and Caribbean film. Her research actively engages with community to reshape public narratives about Black and Caribbean histories and experiences.

Scientific Awards:

• Horizon Award from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (2010) for her editorship of MaComère

Advising and Grants: She has supervised graduate students across several MA programs (Literatures of Modernity, Immigration and Settlement Studies, Communication and Culture, and Early Childhood Studies) and the Policy Studies PhD program. Her significant grant achievements include the SSHRC-funded international conference "Caribbean Migrations: Negotiating Borders" (2005) and the "Black Canada and the Great War" symposium (2021), both emphasizing community engagement and public-facing scholarship.

Projects: As Principal Investigator of the "Black Canada and the Great War" project, she leads a team dedicated to documenting and disseminating the contributions of Black Canadians in World War I through collaborative community initiatives and media outreach.