Caroline Amy Aileen Barbour-James was born in Acton, London,[2] on 25 January 1906[3] to Guyanese parents, John and Caroline Barbour-James,[4] one of their eight children.

Her father, John Barbour-James, worked as administrator in West Africa[2] and had access to a large network of contacts throughout the continent.

In 1918, he founded the African Patriotic Intelligence Bureau.

Inspired by her father, Barbour-James became active in the civil rights movements and was involved in the African Progress Union and the League of Coloured Peoples, becoming secretary of the latter organisation in 1942.

In 2011, a short drama based on Barbour-James's life was broadcast by BBC Radio 4.