Richard B. Moore
Encyclopedia
Richard Benjamin Moore was an African Caribbean civil rights
activist and prominent communist.
, West Indies to Richard Henry Moore and Josephine Thorne Moore. In Barbados, the Richard Henry and Josephine Moore family was considered middle class in terms of socioeconomic status. Richard Henry Moore was the moneymaker of the family working as a preacher
and building contractor in Barbados. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Richard B. Moore’s mother died when he was only three years of age. Moore’s father was later remarried to Elizabeth Mclean. Soon thereafter, another tragedy struck when Moore’s father died in 1902 when young Richard was at the age of nine. With both biological parents dead, Moore was raised by his stepmother Elizabeth Mclean.
Mclean wanted to carry out Richard senior’s wishes of giving young Richard the best education. It is for this reason that Mclean aided young Richard in traveling to the United States
. In hopes of furthering his education, Moore migrated to The United States of America and arrived in New York City
on July 4, 1909. However, Moore would not become a naturalized citizen until September 11, 1924. Although African American
s were free in the United States, they were far from being treated equal to the whites
in America. Moore was immediately faced with racial discrimination when it came to employment and educational opportunities among other things. Although trained in Barbados to do clerical work, Moore was forced to turn to the more unfavourable jobs like an elevator operator and work in a silk manufacturing firm.
(ABB) which was an organization formed to defend African Americans from race riots and lynching
. Moore, along with other black advocates, joined the Communist Party
in the early 1920s. Moore joined the Communist Party, in part, because at the time the Communist party was transforming itself into a force to fight against segregation.
Moore was a frequent political candidate of the Communist Party. In 1928 he ran for U.S. Congress in New York's 21st Congressional District. In 1934, Moore ran on the Communist ticket for Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
. In 1935, he became the organizer for the International Labor Defense
in the New England
Territory. He used his position in this organization to speak on behalf the Scottsboro Boys
, which was a case were nine young African American males were accused of brutally raping two young white girls. In 1942, Moore was expelled from the communist party because he was accused of being a Black Nationalist and keeping black issues on the front burner.
Moore continued his efforts for equal rights
in America. He also played a leading role in Caribbean
advocacy groups. Moore, like his friend Hubert Harrison
, was a bibliophile collecting over 15,000 books and pamphlets on the black experiences worldwide. This collection of books is currently housed in a library that Moore developed in Barbados. Moore also ran the Frederick Douglass
Book Center in Harlem.
Along with having a love of books, Moore published a few himself including The Name Negro, Its Origin and Evil Use (1960) and Caribs, Cannibals and Human Relations (1972). He also had essays and articles published in various magazines and journals including the Negro Champion, Daily Worker, and Freedomways.
Richard Benjamin Moore died in his homeland of Barbados in 1978 at the age of 85.
Joyce Moore Turner, "Caribbean Crusaders and the Harlem Renaissance." Urbana: Illinois Press, 2005.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist and prominent communist.
Early years
RIchard Benjamin Moore was a Barbadian writer born on August 9, 1893 in BarbadosBarbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, West Indies to Richard Henry Moore and Josephine Thorne Moore. In Barbados, the Richard Henry and Josephine Moore family was considered middle class in terms of socioeconomic status. Richard Henry Moore was the moneymaker of the family working as a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
and building contractor in Barbados. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Richard B. Moore’s mother died when he was only three years of age. Moore’s father was later remarried to Elizabeth Mclean. Soon thereafter, another tragedy struck when Moore’s father died in 1902 when young Richard was at the age of nine. With both biological parents dead, Moore was raised by his stepmother Elizabeth Mclean.
Mclean wanted to carry out Richard senior’s wishes of giving young Richard the best education. It is for this reason that Mclean aided young Richard in traveling to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In hopes of furthering his education, Moore migrated to The United States of America and arrived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on July 4, 1909. However, Moore would not become a naturalized citizen until September 11, 1924. Although African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s were free in the United States, they were far from being treated equal to the whites
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
in America. Moore was immediately faced with racial discrimination when it came to employment and educational opportunities among other things. Although trained in Barbados to do clerical work, Moore was forced to turn to the more unfavourable jobs like an elevator operator and work in a silk manufacturing firm.
Political activism
Due to the struggles that Moore encountered and observed, he became a strong vocalist for the rights of African-Americans. In 1919 Moore joined the African Blood BrotherhoodAfrican Blood Brotherhood
The African Blood Brotherhood for African Liberation and Redemption was a radical U.S. black liberation organization established in 1919 in New York City by journalist Cyril Briggs. The group was established as a propaganda organization built on the model of the secret society...
(ABB) which was an organization formed to defend African Americans from race riots and lynching
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
. Moore, along with other black advocates, joined the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
in the early 1920s. Moore joined the Communist Party, in part, because at the time the Communist party was transforming itself into a force to fight against segregation.
Moore was a frequent political candidate of the Communist Party. In 1928 he ran for U.S. Congress in New York's 21st Congressional District. In 1934, Moore ran on the Communist ticket for Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals.The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals...
. In 1935, he became the organizer for the International Labor Defense
International Labor Defense
The International Labor Defense was a legal defense organization in the United States, headed by William L. Patterson. It was a US section of International Red Aid organisation, and associated with the Communist Party USA. It defended Sacco and Vanzetti, was active in the civil rights and...
in the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Territory. He used his position in this organization to speak on behalf the Scottsboro Boys
Scottsboro Boys
The Scottsboro Boys were nine black teenage boys accused of rape in Alabama in 1931. The landmark set of legal cases from this incident dealt with racism and the right to a fair trial...
, which was a case were nine young African American males were accused of brutally raping two young white girls. In 1942, Moore was expelled from the communist party because he was accused of being a Black Nationalist and keeping black issues on the front burner.
Moore continued his efforts for equal rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
in America. He also played a leading role in Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
advocacy groups. Moore, like his friend Hubert Harrison
Hubert Harrison
Hubert Henry Harrison was a West Indian-American writer, orator, educator, critic, and radical socialist political activist based in Harlem, New York. He was described by activist A. Philip Randolph as “the father of Harlem radicalism” and by the historian Joel Augustus Rogers as “the foremost...
, was a bibliophile collecting over 15,000 books and pamphlets on the black experiences worldwide. This collection of books is currently housed in a library that Moore developed in Barbados. Moore also ran the Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
Book Center in Harlem.
Along with having a love of books, Moore published a few himself including The Name Negro, Its Origin and Evil Use (1960) and Caribs, Cannibals and Human Relations (1972). He also had essays and articles published in various magazines and journals including the Negro Champion, Daily Worker, and Freedomways.
Richard Benjamin Moore died in his homeland of Barbados in 1978 at the age of 85.
Further reading
Joyce Moore Turner and W. Burghart Turner, "Richard B. Moore: Caribbean Miltant in Harlem." Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988.Joyce Moore Turner, "Caribbean Crusaders and the Harlem Renaissance." Urbana: Illinois Press, 2005.