If you were one of the over 20 million people who tuned in to watch Night 3 of the 4-day Democratic National Convention, you would have witnessed a powerful and patriotic speech by Wes Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor. Moore, whose mother hails from Trelawny and has strong family ties in Montego Bay and Kingston, made history with his election, marking a milestone in Maryland’s 245-year history.
In his 2024 DNC speech, Moore reflected on his journey as the son of an immigrant, saying, “It’s the journey of a man raised by a remarkable immigrant single mom, a man who felt handcuffs on his wrists at 11 years old who now stands before you as the 63rd governor of Maryland and the first Black governor in the history of our state.”
Before he was Governor
Westley Watende Omari Moore was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, in 1978, to an African-American father, William Westley Moore Jr., a broadcast news journalist, and a Jamaican mother who hails from Trelawny Joy Thomas Moore, a media professional. After his father’s tragic and untimely death when Wes was just three, his mother moved him and his two sisters to the East Bronx to live with her Jamaican parents.
Joy’s intervention saved Wes from tough Bronx Streets
If it’s one thing a Jamaican parent will absolutely not compromise on is education, and Joy was no different, and when she realised she was losing her sons to the drug-infested streets of the Bronx, she took action, scrimping and saving to send Wes to the prestigious Riverdale Country School. Joy thought the best option for her son was to send him to private school to give him new and hopefully more positive experiences and influences.
However, Wes’s truancy and mischievousness nearly led to his expulsion from Riverdale, but this time it was his grandparents who intervened by mortgaging their home to enrol then 12-year-old Westley into the Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
In an interview, Joy told Times Writer Molly Ball that she was going to do whatever she had to do to “not lose my kids to the streets—or to mediocrity.” That fateful decision to take drastic action to fight for her son’s life paid off in a significant way, both for Joy and for her son.
Education and excellence
Valley Forge changed Wes’s life, he became an accomplished sportsman and excelled academically so much so that he became student body president, and editor of the school’s newspaper. Moore would eventually graduate Phi Theta Kappa with an associate degree and attended Johns Hopkins University, where he earned an MA at Wolfson College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar.
His career has been diverse – from serving in the US Army and Army Reserve to becoming an investment banker in New York. He’s also a published author of five books, the former CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, and hosted the show Beyond Belief on Oprah Winfrey’s network.
A Proud “Yardie”
As his DNC speech suggests, Moore is the proud son of a Jamaican immigrant who is unabashed about his heritage. In fact, it is a significant part of his identity that he wholly embraces, always speaking warmly of his Jamaican roots, which extend to Trelawny, Montego Bay, and Kingston. Wes considers himself a “yardie,” deeply connected to Jamaica’s rich culture and history, which he says provides him with comfort and inspiration.
A Frequent Visitor to Jamaica
In July 2023, Wes Moore visited Jamaica to accept an honorary doctorate from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean and deliver their commencement address. He frequently visits the island with his family, relishing every trip. While his wife enjoys the beach, Moore loves immersing himself in the vibrant culture and sampling Jamaican cuisine, including oxtail, ackee and saltfish, Red Stripe beer, and his go-to cocktail of Ting and whisky.
Cover Photo Source: USA Today
