MRS. JANE ROBERTS 1809--(?)

"The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here."

Mrs. Roberts was the wife of the first African President of Liberia. She was an American as was also her distinguished husband, Joseph Jenkin Roberts, a Mulatto born in Virginia in 1809. He went to Liberia in 1829 and engaged in trade. At the death of Thomas H. Buchanan, as Governor of the Commonwealth of Liberia, Mr. Roberts was appointed Governor by the Colonization Society of America and held the office for six years. He was at the head of the Liberian force in its war against the Golah Chief, Gatumba.

Comments (2) | Read more...

An extraction from the 1911 encyclopedia  

KRUMEN (KROOMEN, KROOBOYS, Krus, or CRoos), a negro people of the West Coast of Africa. They dwell in villages scattered along the coast of Liberia from below Monrovia nearly to Cape Palmas. The name has been wrongly derived from the English word "crew," with reference to the fact that Krumen were the first West African people to take service in European vessels. It is probably from Kraoh, the primitive name of one of their tribes. Under Krumen are now grouped many kindred tribes, the Grebo, Basa, Nifu, &c., who collectively number some 40,000.

Comment | Read more...

African proverbs reflect the wealth in traditional expression, beliefs and customs of the people and are sometimes used to convey messages, values and guidelines for surviving in the society. For example, as Dr Somah, eloquently put it, "In traditional Liberian Bassa culture, folklores and proverbs are used extensively to teach and reinforce social, cultural, religious, leadership, and other intrinsic societal values to the Bassa youth."  Unfortunately, many of these proverbs have been lost.

Comments (1) | Read more...

Through the years, the Liberian educational system has suffered decay due to the minimal investment in education, and also the vicious war that ravaged Liberia for more than a decade.

During the Tubman and Tolbert era, despite improvements in educational facilities, increases in their number, and expanded school enrollment, the Liberian educational system at the time of the 1980 coup was marked by significant inadequacies in the quantity and quality of schools, teachers, and educational materials.

Comments (1) | Read more...