Carrie Lee Moore/ Unknown

Carrie Lee Moore (known as Nook to her family) was born on May 23, 1921, in Red Bird, OK., to the proud parents of Carrie James and Leonard Moore. She was the youngest of three children.

She first came to California in 1944 and resided in the City of Alameda and worked at Treasure Island. She said that it rained every day and she had to run for the bus or train. When she experienced an earthquake for the first time, she was so nervous that she left California and went back to Shreveport, LA. She thought by that time Shreveport would be paying workers the same wages that she could get in California, but it wasn’t so. 

She returned to California in 1945 and became a member of Star Bethel Baptist Church in Oakland under the leadership of Rev. George Henderson.  There she met the love of her life, Enoch Johnson, and they married on May 11, 1946. Later they moved to Detroit, Mich., because the war had ended while they were in California and if you weren’t in a union, the servicemen got the jobs first. (Her father always promised to take her there and she finally got an opportunity to get there.) She graduated from Kemble Servicing School in 1966 with a Master Certificate.

She resided in Michigan for 38 years and worked for the Cadillac Industry Plant for 34 years as a power machine operator. She also was the pianist for Nazarene Baptist Church in Michigan for 22 years before returning to California in 1984 to help her sister take care of her father, Leonard Moore, who was a member of North Richmond Baptist Church.

She joined North Richmond Baptist Church in 1984 (with her letter from Nazarene Baptist Church) under the leadership of the late Rev. CW Newsome. She has been active in everything at the church including Sunday school, BTU, the Mission, Christ Ministry, Mothers Board, Citizen Group, Brown Bags, choirs, committees, ministering to the sick, wherever she is needed, she is there.

Down through the years she has been a musician for several churches in the area including, Emmaus Baptist Church, Mt. Carmel, EverReady, Bible Way, Shields Convalescent, the Christ Ministry, and still plays for North Richmond Baptist Church.

When asked what keeps her so healthy, she responded, “the Lord.” (Although she walks regularly to get her exercise.)

She got her driver’s license at the age of 70 and drove for 20 plus years until she decided not to renew her license. She is very independent and does not depend on anyone to take her where she wants to go and definitely does not mind walking or taking the bus.

She has taught needle craft and enjoys sewing. As a child, she was an avid basketball player and played ‘corncob’ baseball.

She is a joy to be around and will keep you laughing with all of her funny sayings.

Her favorite scripture is Psalms 1:1-2, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Her advice to the young is found in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly diving the word of truth.”  She also added that whatever you do, keep Christ in your life.

She truly loves the Lord and loves studying His Word.

Paul Mooney appeared at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle some 30 or more times over the years. His platform and message were always used to shed a light on the grave racial disparity and economic injustice that has, whether acknowledged or not, plagued this country since its inception. This racially aggressive ideology has also had its tangles in our dear city of Oakland. A disparity study illustrated by Dr. Eleanor Ramsey highlighted the glaring absence of African Americans in the city’s landscape of budgeted allotments for professional services, labor construction and city development.

Former entertainer Paul Mooney often performed at Geoffrey’s urging America to face-up to White racism

While I applaud Yoshi’s Oakland for reaching their goal in their most recent Go Fund Me efforts, it should be noted that Yoshi’s also received $5 million dollars in assistance from both the City and Port of Oakland to open a jazz entertainment venue at Jack London Square. Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, a live entertainment venue that began at Jack London Square, has been operating for 30 years. This offer was not extended to expand GIC or renovate, nor was it offered to any other Black Owned Business in the entertainment genre in Oakland.

The Fox Oakland was $50 million dollars over budget for its renovation project and most recently left the City of Oakland with a $78 million cost overrun.

When an African American Development Firm entered a bid on the Oakland Auditorium/ Kaiser Center, the city gave a white developer the contract and $12 million dollars in naming rights. This deal in its origin should not have had any monetary exchange whatsoever, naming rights included. The aforementioned developer has additionally secured a 99-year lease that will cost him a hefty $1 dollar. He will also receive tax credits to the tune of a $20-$40-million-dollars in subsidies. Go fund me has a different ring to it if you are non-black and vending with the City of Oakland it seems.

We will ultimately be successful in our efforts to reach the goal of our fundraising campaign but will also ensure that the native Oakland community of African Americans will receive equal assistance and opportunity in this city.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Geoffrey Pete
GoFundMe