We are celebrating this years’ Black History Month with the theme: From Struggle, To Growth, To Strength. The BME network presents a series of articles highlighting 5 Black British Icons from the past and present.
Dr Harold Moody (1882-1947)
Harold Moody was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1882 to a chemist father Charles Moody and mother Christina Moody. He moved to London in 1904 and studied medicine at King’s College London. After becoming a doctor, Moody found it difficult to get a job in a hospital despite having the best qualifications due to racial discrimination. He instead set up his own practice in Peckham in 1913 and also helped establish the League of Coloured Peoples in 1931.
The League of Coloured Peoples had five objectives:
- To promote and protect the Social, Educational, Economic and Political Interests of its members
- To interest members in the Welfare of Coloured Peoples in all parts of the World
- To improve relations between the Races
- To co-operate and affiliate with organisations sympathetic to coloured people
- To render such financial assistance to coloured people in distress as lies within our capacity (added in 1937)
The League published a newsletter, The Keys, named after the concept of the black and white keys of the piano being in harmony.
He also opened his house for any traveling black people who needed a place to rest or a meal to eat but could not find it anywhere else.
Dr Moody was an important figure during WW2 in helping those injured; according to historian Stephen Bourne, he was the first doctor at a terrible bombing and saved many lives
In 2019, the 88th anniversary of the League, an English Heritage Blue Plaque was unveiled in honour of Dr Moody and his work in the League of Coloured Peoples.