Harry T. Moore
Birth date:
November 18, 1905
Death date:
December 25, 1951
Age at Death:
46
About
Harry T. Moore was born in a tiny farming community in Houston, Florida. Harry was an only child At nine years old, Harry's father died and his mom tried to manage by working in cotton fields and running a store on the weekend. However, Harry's mother was unable to support herself and Harry, so she sent him over to live with her three sisters. Harry's sisters were well educated women that helped guide Harry to a passion for learning. Harry went to college and worked as a fourth grade teacher. Harry met his wife, Harriette Vyda Simons, during his first year of teaching, and they would go on to have two daughters named Annie Rosalea and Juanita Evangeline. After the birth of his daughters, Harry focused on equal rights for African Americans and joined the NAACP. Harry rose up and became a paid protestor for the Florida NAACP, pushing out powerful letters protesting unequal salaries and segregation in schools.
While Harry's involvement in the NAACP was enough for many racists to kill him, the event that was most likely the boiling point was Harry's iinvolvement in the Groveland rape case. Four young African American were accused of raping a white woman. Without hesitation, Harry threw himself into the case to defend the four young men who had been already been beaten by a white mob that had no proof of any sexual attack on the white woman. However, two of the men where shot by the Sheriff who was driving them to a hearing. One of the men died and the other was in critical condition. Harry called for the suspension of the sheriff and for the sheriff to be charged with murder. This sheriff was a notorious lawman who held considerable influence with other racists. Six weeks after the death the shooting of the young African American men, Harry was killed on Christmas day, 1951. I bomb was planted under the floor where Harry and his wife slept. The bomb went off injured both Harry and his wife; Harry died on the way to the hospital and his wife would die nine days later.
Was justice served?
The FBI investigated the death of Harry with two additional investigations that would also be conducted by the FBI. The FBI was unable to find any information to convict the killers of Harry Moore and his wife. As of February, 2021 justice has not been served.