Amy Barbour-James
(1906-1988), Civil rights activist and civil servant; Secretary of the League of Coloured PeoplesSitter in 1 portrait
Born in London in 1906, Amy was one of the eight children of John and Caroline Barbour-James. The family relocated to London from British Guiana (present-day Guyana) in 1905, while her father worked his way up the ranks in the postal services in the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana), spending his time on leave in London. Amy joined the civil service and was active in the League of Coloured Peoples (LCP) and other campaigns throughout her life, perhaps inspired by her father who after retirement worked on several projects to promote British understanding of black achievements and capacities. She became the LCP's secretary in 1942, a significant achievement for a woman at the time.
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