DENNIS, GABRIEL LAFAYETTE

Gabriel Lafayette Dennis (1896-1954) son of Edward and Johnette Dennis was born in Monrovia and educated at the College of West Africa.

PHOTO CAPTION:, Gabriel Lafayette Dennis. SOURCE: EA Library

Later he went to Mulgrave College, Liverpool, and to Hamburg, Germany, and Syracuse University for further studies.  He was awarded an honorary Ll.D from Emporia College.  He served in the Department of State, first as a Cadet for two years (1914-1916) and later, in 1923 was appointed Secretary to the Plenary Commission of the Liberian Delegation to the United States of America.

In 1932, he became Secretary of the Treasury of the Republic.  After serving in various capacities on Liberian delegations to several UN conferences he was appointed in 1946 as Principal Liberian Delegate to the UN General Assembly in London.

He served as Consul for Belgium from 1922 to 1944.  In 1928 he represented Liberia at the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Protestant Mission in the Belgium Congo and again in 1932 represented Liberia at the Methodist Church General Conference at Atlantic City, NJ.  He again represented Liberia at the International Missionary Council held in Madras, India in 1939.

Despite his numerous official assignments and engagements, he was also keenly interested in education and was for several years President of the Board of Trustees of the College of West Africa and its Vice-President.  He was also President of the Board of Managers of Booker T. Washington Institute, Kakata, and a Life Member of the Royal African Society, London.

He was awarded several civil honours from Liberia and other governments for his devoted public service and renown as a statesman.  He died in 1954 in the United States of America.

NATHANIEL R. RICHARDSON