Lodie M. Biggs
Lodie Maurine Biggs | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 March 1895 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | March 1971 |
| Occupation(s) | Bacteriologist, bookseller, civil rights advocate |
| Known for | Revitalizing Seattle NAACP chapter; founding Frederick Douglass Book Center |
Lodie Maurine Biggs (March 1, 1895 – March 1971), later known as Lodie Biggs Moore, was an American professional in bacteriology, a bookseller, and an advocate for civil rights.
Early life
Biggs was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and grew up in Seattle, Washington. Her father worked on the railroad and was connected to the IWW. She completed her undergraduate studies in chemistry at the University of Washington, graduating in 1916.
Bacteriology
Biggs held positions as a bacteriologist at Crescent Biological Laboratory in Seattle, provided services for both the city and state of Washington, and managed her own private laboratory. In the 1930s, she moved to New York City, where she continued her bacteriological work within the municipal framework.
Activism in Seattle
In 1928, Biggs revitalized the inactive Seattle chapter of the NAACP, taking on the role of president until 1930. She also played a key role in establishing and leading Seattle's branch of the National Urban League. She participated in the National Urban League's annual conference held in Minneapolis in 1931.
In 1932, when the Seattle Urban League’s Health and Recreation Committee sponsored an all-black baseball team, Biggs proposed stepping down from her position. She opposed segregated teams, believing they fostered racial divisions: "Separate teams mean the beginning of racial feeling." The committee subsequently implemented a policy opposing segregation in sports teams.
Activism in New York City
By 1937, Biggs had relocated to New York City and served as secretary for the Harlem Citizens' Committee to Aid the Striking Seamen. She became involved with the group that evolved into the Harlem Tenants Association. In 1942, she worked alongside activist Richard B. Moore; both were members of Harlem's Communist Party before their expulsion. Together that year, they established the Frederick Douglass Book Center, a bookstore and community hub located in Harlem.
Personal life
In 1950, Lodie Biggs married Richard B. Moore. The couple resided in Brooklyn until her passing in 1971 at approximately seventy-six years old.