Sir Learie Constantine - Barrister and Advocate
Learie Nicholas Constantine was born on the 21st September 1901 in Diego Martin, Trinidad in the West Indies. As well as being a world class cricketer Constantine also had a legal career and advocated for racial equality. During the Second World War he worked for the Ministry of Labour and National Service advising the government on West Indian workers in Britain.
It was a hotel incident in 1943 that marked a turning point for him. Constantine booked rooms at the Imperial Hotel in London for himself and his family, however on arrival he was told that they couldn’t stay because other guests objected to their presence.
Constantine sued the hotel and won a historic case in the High Court. The hotel had breached its agreement. The case laid the groundwork for Britain’s future race relations legislation.
Constantine served as the chairman for the League of Coloured Peoples, Britain’s first civil rights organisation founded by Dr Harold Moody, from 1947 to 1951. After retiring from cricket, he studied law and was called to the Bar in 1954. Constantine also served as Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to the UK and in 1962 he was knighted for his service. In 1969 he was appointed Britain’s first Black peer, becoming Baron Constantine of Maraval and Nelson.
Sir Learie Constantine passed away in London on the 1st July 1971.
First Black peer to enter the House of Lords 1969