When I Passed the Statue of Liberty I Became Black

by Harry Edward, Neil Duncanson (contributor), Amir Abdullah (reader)

The lost memoir of Britain’s first Black Olympic medal winner—and the America he discovered
 
After winning Olympic medals for Britain in 1920, Harry Edward (1898–1973) decided to try his luck in America. The country he found was full of thrilling opportunity and pervasive racism.
 
Immensely capable and energetic, Harry rubbed shoulders with kings and presidents, was influential in the revival of Black theatre during the Harlem Renaissance, and became a passionate humanitarian and advocate for child welfare. He was present at some of the twentieth century’s most significant moments, worked alongside W. E. B. Du Bois and Orson Welles, and witnessed two world wars and the civil rights movement. Yet he was frustrated at almost every turn.
 
Toward the end of his life he set down his story, crafting this memoir of athletics and activism, race and racism on both sides of the Atlantic. His manuscript went unpublished until now. This is the deeply engaging tale of Edward’s life—and a moving testament to his drive to form a better world.

1 pages, Audio CD

Published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[DeniseK · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating and thought provoking read
I found this book a surprisingly interesting read. Harry Edwards’ experiences, as a young man in a WW1 internment camp for enemy aliens, paint a graphic picture of the day to day existence of men trapped for years under the strictures of German guards, underfed and brutalised, whilst the war rages around them. His description of their determined efforts to create a sense of normality and purpose is inspiring.
Harry’s athletic career, that led to his inclusion in the GB sprint squad in the 1920 Olympics, is impressive and is described in a factual and detailed way, but lacks some of the personal perspective that I was hoping for.
His emigration to the US exposes him to a racism previously unknown and the struggles he encounters trying to fulfil his potential are startling. On a positive note, however, they unearth a political activism in him that he pursues with a dedication equal to his athletic career. We get glimpses into the despair of the Great Depression, segregation and the realities of racial prejudice in the US.
His work with the United Nations show Harry to be a skilled and competent administrator who flourishes when circumstances allow but remains constrained at home by the colour of his skin.
I found this book a sometimes unsettling but informative read and for that I would recommend it. Be prepared for a rather dry, textbook style of delivery though, which may put some readers off.

[Alec Ryrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strangely compelling book. No great work of literature: his style is flat and dry. The memoir was written in 1970 but not published until now, meaning that Edward (who died in 1975) was never able to revise it in response to an editor's advice, and this shows. It's also quite bitty and episodic. But then, so is life, especially a long and eventful life like this one. The upside of that flat style is understatement and an immensely calm, level-headed reporter's eye. We don't really learn a whole lot about Harry Edward the man (he's quite private about himself and his family) but he is a wonderful witness to the times he lived through, from the WWI internment camp to Harlem in the 1920s and 1930s to postwar Europe and 1950s Vietnam. He shows us America's racial obsessions in those years - but not in polemical mood, depicting the extremes, but showing how the relentless drag-anchor of prejudice and the endless succession of unexplained locked doors could thwart - to some extent! - even a man as talented, determined and positive as this. The book is perhaps less than the sum of its parts - but some of the parts are quite something.