The first black female head of state Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Liberia’s’ date of independence is in 1847. It is one of the few countries in Africa, and the only country in West Africa, without roots in the European Scramble for Africa. The population of Liberia is roughly 3.49 million (2008) people with a gross domestic product (GDP) per person of $185 a year. Its capital is Monrovia. The inauguration of the first black female head of state of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Africa in 2006 ushered in a period of hope and high expectations for Liberia’s recovery and development after decades of destabilization. She is often referred to as the “Iron Lady”.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Colorado and studied economics and public policy at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government from 1969 to 1971, earning a Master of Public Administration degree. In November 2007, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. government’s highest civilian award. Agriculture, including forestry, is critical to the economic development of Liberia and is the source of livelihood for 70 percent of the population.
Liberia has a long, rich history in textile arts and quilting. The free and former US slaves who immigrated to Liberia brought with them their sewing and quilting skills. The University of Liberia is the country’s largest college and is located in Monrovia. Opened in 1862, it is one of Africa’s oldest institutes of higher learning.
