Angie Brooks
| Angie Brooks | |
|---|---|
| President, 24th Session of the United Nations General Assembly | |
| Preceded by | Emilio Arenales Catalán |
| Succeeded by | Edvard Hambro |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 24, 1928 Virginia, Liberia |
| Died |
September 9, 2007 Houston, Texas, United States |
| Profession | Diplomat, attorney |
Angie Elizabeth Brooks[1] (August 24, 1928 – September 9, 2007) was a Liberian diplomat and jurist. She is notable for being the only African female President of the United Nations General Assembly.[2] She was also the second woman from any nation to head the U.N.[3]
In 1954 she became Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations,[2] where much of her work involved the transformation of former colonial states into independent countries.[4] In 1969, she was chosen as the President of the General Assembly and took office in 1970.
She also served as Assistant Secretary of State of Liberia.[2][4] Her tenure as Permanent Representative ended in 1977, when she was appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia. Nominated by President Tolbert on 4 May and taking office two days later, she was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court of Liberia.[5]
Biography
The daughter of a Baptist minister and one of nine children, Brooks was raised by a widowed seamstress.[4] After a teenage marriage and divorce[4] to Richard A. Henries (who later became Speaker of the Liberian House of Representatives), she decided to seek a higher education. Brooks partially financed her studies by working as a dishwasher, laundress, a library assistant, and nurse's aide.[4] In 1949, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States.[2] Three years later, she got a Bachelor of Law degree and a Master of Science degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[2] Brooks earned Doctor of Law degrees, from Shaw University and Howard University in 1962 and 1967 respectively.[2] She also did graduate work in international law at the University College Law School of the University of London in 1952 and 1953,[2][4] and obtained a Doctor of Civil Law degree from the University of Liberia in 1964.[2]
Brooks previously served as Counsellor-at-law to the Supreme Court of Liberia in August 1953, and as Assistant Attorney-General of Liberia from August 1953 to March 1958.[2] She was also a part-time Professor of Law at University of Liberia from 1954 to 1958.[2]
Brooks was a member of the Eta Beta Omega international chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.[6]
Angie Brooks had two biological sons, Richard A. Henries II and Wynston Henries. In addition, she was also a foster mother.[4] After her divorce from Richard A. Henries I, she later married Isaac M Randolph.
She died on September 9, 2007 in Houston, Texas, United States.[7] Brooks received a state funeral in Liberia and was buried in her birthplace of Virginia in Montserrado County.[8]
References
- ↑ sometimes referred to as Angie Brooks Randolph
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 United Nations, "Miss Angie Brooks Elected President Of The Twenty-Fourth Session of the General Assembly
- ↑ Jennifer S. Uglow et al., Northeastern Dictionary of Women's Biography
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Everybody's Miss Brooks, Time, Friday, September 26, 1969(subscription required)
- ↑ "Angie takes her seat". [Monrovia] Sunday Express 1977-05-08: 1/4.
- ↑ "AKA International, "Historical Overview"". Archived from the original on 2007-03-30.
- ↑ Liberia: Gender Ministry Regrets Angie Brooks Death
- ↑ The Executive Mansion, Liberia, "Funeral of Angie Brooks Randolph Archived December 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Emilio Arenales Catalan |
President of the United Nations General Assembly 1969 |
Succeeded by Edvard Hambro |