Queen Mother Moore

Audley “Queen Mother” Moore (born July 27, 1898 - die May 2, 1997) be American wey fight for Black people dema rights. She be Black nationalist, and she dey close to big names like Marcus Garvey, Nelson den Winnie Mandela, Rosa Parks, plus Jesse Jackson. She play role for de American Civil Rights Movement insyd wey she help start Republic of New Afrika. One woman, Delois Blakely, work under am for 20 years. Later, Ghana make Blakely a Queen Mother (Nana).

 Early life 
Na dem born Queen Mother Moore as Audley Moore for New Iberia, Louisiana, on July 27, 1898. Na ein mommie be Ella, wey ein poppie be St. Cyr Moore, wey be deputy sheriff for Iberia Parish. St. Cyr marry three times wey he get eight kiddies. For ein marriage plus Ella, Queen Mother Moore be de firstborn out of three kiddies, Lorita and Eloise be de other two. As dem dey grow, dem go Saint Catherine’s Catholic school.

Moore ein mama die when she be six, so dem go stay with dem mama ein mama, Nora Henry. Nora Henry herself be born during slavery times. Moore ein grandpapa get lynched when Ella be small, so Ella and her siblings grow under dem mama. Later, Moore and her sisters go back go live with dem papa for New Orleans, but the man die when she dey class four. After that, she drop out of school.

The inheritance wey suppose go to Moore and her sisters, one half brother come take am and sack dem from the house. To take care of herself and her sisters, Moore carry her papa ein mules go auction, sell dem, then use the money rent one place make dem stay. Later, she lie about her age so she fit do hairdressing work, which help dem survive for some time.

Dem start dey do activism from teenage times. During World War I, Moore and her sisters gather neighbors make dem support Black soldiers, after dem hear say Red Cross dey serve only White soldiers. Her sister Eloise even start something like the first USO (United Service Organization) for Anniston, Alabama. She find one empty building make Black soldiers fit come relax, something wey before only White soldiers get access to. Then in 1919, Moore hear about Marcus Garvey. She go New Orleans go listen to am talk in 1920. By that time, Moore don marry, and after Garvey ein speech, she and her three sisters catch new vibe and awareness about their African roots.

 Activism 
After Queen Mother Moore hear Marcus Garvey ein speech, she start prepare with her husband to move go Africa. But some family wahala make she stay for U.S. instead. She move go California, then Chicago, before she and her husband plus sisters settle for Harlem, New York in 1922.

She join plenty activist groups. Before she join Communist Party around 1933, she first join International Labor Defense. Inside the Communist Party, she learn more about how the system dey work against Black people. But by 1950, she comot because she feel say the party no dey fight for Black people again. After she meet Mary McLeod Bethune for Washington, she join the Council of Negro Women for life. Through Bethune, she start give speeches to people wey dey support civil rights.

Later, she become leader and life member of UNIA, Marcus Garvey ein group. She attend Garvey ein first international convention for NYC and even own shares in the Black Star Line. Moore fight for Black causes for over 60 years. Her last public show be 1995 Million Man March with Jesse Jackson. She found Universal Association of Ethiopian Women and the Committee for Reparations for Descendants of U.S. Slaves. She help start Republic of New Afrika to fight for land, self-rule, and reparations.

In 1964, she start Eloise Moore College of African Studies, Mt. Addis Ababa, for Parksville, New York, but fire burn the place down for late 1970s. For 1950s and 60s inside, Moore be the loudest voice for African-American reparations. From Harlem, she push this agenda till she die.

Even though she grow up Catholic, she comot from the Church during the Second Italo-Ethiopian war, because she feel say Pope Pius XII support Italy against Ethiopia. She pass through different churches like Baptist missionary, Apostolic Orthodox Church of Judah, then later baptize into Ethiopian Orthodox Church. She also help start the Commission to Eliminate Racism under New York churches and do 3-week sit-in protest. She co-found African American Cultural Foundation, Inc. wey fight make people stop use the word “Negro.”

In 1957 and 1959, she send two petitions to the UN wey she ask for self-rule, land, and $200 billion as compensation for slavery. She say people wey wan go Africa or stay for America must all get reparations. She be the first person wey sign the New African Agreement.

From 1972 to 1977, she visit Africa many times. First one be to Guinea for Nkrumah ein funeral, then a chief call her to Ghana. For Ghana, Ashanti people give her the “Queen Mother” title. Later, she go All-African Women’s Conference for Tanzania, visit Guinea-Bissau as Amílcar Cabral ein guest, attend Nigeria Festival of Arts and Culture, go Pan-African Congress for Tanzania, and visit Uganda too.

In 1990, Delois Blakely carry her go meet Nelson Mandela after him come out from prison, for Zambia, at President Kenneth Kaunda ein house. Then in 1996, she and Blakely enstool Winnie Mandela as Queen Mother for one event wey Ausar Auset Society International do for Harlem.

Big big names like Ron Brown (DNC Chair), Charles Rangel (Congressman), David Dinkins (NYC Mayor), and Jesse Jackson respect and support her as elder for Harlem. Sonia Sanchez, popular poet and freedom fighter, be her god-daughter and Moore love her well. Queen Mother Moore die May 2, 1997, for one nursing home in Brooklyn. She be 98 years old.

 References 

 Read further 

 External links 

 "'Queen Mother’ Moore; black nationalist leader".
 "Queen Mother" Moore, Black History Pages.
 Andy Lanset, "Marcus Garvey: 20th Century Pan-Africanist", NYPR Archives & Preservation, WNYC, February 15, 2013. Queen Mother Moore talks about seeing Marcus Garvey and being in the UNIA in this radio documentary.

Category:1898 births
Category:1997 deaths
Category:Human
Category:20th-century African-American people
Category:20th-century African-American women
Category:Activists for African-American civil rights
Category:Activists wey komot Louisiana
Category:African-American activists
Category:African-American Catholics
Category:American Black separatist activists
Category:American reparationists
Category:People wey komot New Iberia, Louisiana
Category:American women civil rights activists