Evan X Hyde - UBAD and Entry Into Politics

UBAD and Entry Into Politics

Upon Hyde's return to Belize in 1968 the nation he had left behind two years prior was in turmoil due to the latest rejected proposal to end the Guatemalan claim. Hyde took a job teaching at Belize Technical College and in the meantime attempted to link up with other young intellectuals to try to influence the course of Belizean development. Hyde had been exposed to the teachings of the early Black Power movement in the United States, particularly Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X (who had recently been assassinated).

These early seeds bore fruit when on January 1, 1969, Hyde participated in a protest at a local cinema against the Vietnam War film "The Green Berets", starring John Wayne. The group he was a part of, the Ad Hoc Committee for the Truth About Vietnam, evolved into the United Black Association for Development and the People's Action Committee chaired by Assad Shoman.

Hyde formed UBAD in February and took over its presidency in March after leader Lionel Clarke faced charges of inappropriate conduct.

Hyde left Technical to devote his time to the movement, in addition to courting Audrey Scott, whom he would later marry. With her he had four children: Tifara, Eva, Rachel, and Evan "Mose" Hyde (DJ and manager of Krem Television). They later separated and Hyde had three more children with another woman, Claudette Coleman: Cordel (present Lake Independence representative and Minister of Government), as well as Vonetta (a lawyer currently residing in London) and Michael (manager of Krem Radio). Hyde also had a daughter Jacinta (present business manager of Amandala) with another woman. Hyde and his wife later reconciled. Hyde has several grandchildren.

In pursuit of his writing career, Hyde published Knocking Our Own Ting, a satirical analysis of the Battle of St. George's Caye, in 1969; North Amerikkkan Blues in 1971, profiling his time at Dartmouth, and The Crowd Called UBAD in 1972, a complete history of the organization to that point. He also briefly taught at Wesley College, a high school in Belize City.

Hyde also participated in politics. He was one of the nine candidates running in coalition with the National Independence Party in 1971 City Council elections, in which the coalition lost badly. Hyde also failed in bids for the Collet Division in 1974 and another City Council run in 1977, with the People's United Party (PUP).