GEORGE, SARAH SIMPSON

George Sarah Simpson, (1901-64), Educator, Social Worker, Politician, and Lawyer, was born in the settlement of Louisiana, Monsterrado County, to Phillip R. Simpson, a Methodist Minister, and Ora Simpson, a housewife.

PHOTO CAPTION: George, Sarah Simpson. SOURCE: EA Library

Sarah Clarice was educated both at home and abroad. She completed her academic training at Hampton Institute, Virginia, and received a Certificate of Proficiency in Teacher Training.  Upon her return to Liberia, she opened a kindergarten school in Monrovia, the Pioneer Community School.  As an Educator, she served in the Public School system as Principal of the Government Kindergarten School, Monrovia; and Director and Director-General of Kindergarten Schools, the Republic of Liberia.  She was married twice.

She began her Social Work in 1920, and in her love of human dignity, she strove to alleviate human suffering. She founded the Sarah C. Simpson-George Center of Hope in Monrovia, home of handicapped, indigent, old, and sick people.  Her guiding Philosophy of life was to devote her entire lifetime to the service of mankind.

She was Chief Woman Leader of the Gola Woman’s Society; Founder and First President of the Young Women’s Christian Association of Liberia; Official Representative of Phi Delta Kappa Children’s Reading Room, Monrovia (1950-1964); Member of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, U.S.A.; and one of the Founders of the Antoinette Tubman Welfare Society, Liberia.  She was a distinguished politician who helped to improve the image of Liberian womanhood and was the founder and organiser of the Liberian Women’s Social and Political Movement, serving as the moving pivot in the campaign to secure the right of suffrage for all Liberian women (1945).

She qualified as a lawyer and was admitted to the Bar of Montserrado County as an Attorney-at-Law in 1959; was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Liberia and became Counsellor-at-Law in 1960.  She attended the Conference of the International Federation of Women Lawyers. Because of her legal acumen, she was elected one of the Vice Presidents of this Organisation.

She represented Liberia at numerous International Conferences. She was a special guest of Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House in 1944; a guest of Queen Elizabeth of Belgium in 1958 and a guest of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands in 1952. She was paid a very special tribute by the Government of Israel which invited her as an Official guest in 1958.

For her many invaluable services and unselfish devotion to the State, President Tubman decorated her as Knight Official of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption in 1949; and as Knight Official of the Star of Africa in 1958.  She received a decoration from President Luebke of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1962.

She died on June 4th, 1964.

LULU ADELAIDE RICHARDS