Louis Arthur Grimes
Encyclopedia
Louis Arthur Grimes served as the 10th Chief Justice
of Liberia
and is considered one of the most important jurists in the history of Liberia
. He was appointed Attorney General by President Charles D. B. King
and served in this position from 1922 to 1932 when he was appointed Secretary of State
by President Edwin Barclay
. He served in this position from 1932 to 1933. Secretary Grimes was preceded by Edwin Barclay and replaced by Clarence Lorenzo Simpson
. Perhaps Grimes' most significant accomplishment as Secretary of State was his successful defense of Liberia at the League of Nations when it was threatened with loss of its sovereignty as a result of charges that the country was participating in state sanctioned slave trading. In 1933 he was appointed Chief Justice a position he served in until his death in 1948. The Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law
at the University of Liberia
is named for him. He was a 1905 graduate of Liberia College.
Justice Grimes' legacy was continued by his children, including Henry W. Grimes who was a pioneer in telecommunications in Liberia, Joseph Rudolph Grimes
, the longest serving Secretary of State in Liberia and a primary author of the charter for the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and Dr. Mary Antoinette Brown Sherman, the first woman on the African continent to be the President of a major university.
Chief Justice of Liberia
The Chief Justice of Liberia is the head of the judicial branch of the Government of the Republic of Liberia and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of Liberia.-Appointment and term:...
of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and is considered one of the most important jurists in the history of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. He was appointed Attorney General by President Charles D. B. King
Charles D. B. King
Charles Dunbar Burgess King was a politician in Liberia of Freetown Creole descent . He was a member of the True Whig Party, which ruled the country from 1878 until 1980...
and served in this position from 1922 to 1932 when he was appointed Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
by President Edwin Barclay
Edwin Barclay
Edwin James Barclay was a Liberian politician. A member of the True Whig political party, he served as the 18th President of the country from 1930 until 1944. Under his leadership, Liberia was an ally of the United States during World War II....
. He served in this position from 1932 to 1933. Secretary Grimes was preceded by Edwin Barclay and replaced by Clarence Lorenzo Simpson
Clarence Lorenzo Simpson
Clarence Lorenzo Simpson was a politician in Liberia. He was Secretary of State during much of World War II under President Edwin Barclay....
. Perhaps Grimes' most significant accomplishment as Secretary of State was his successful defense of Liberia at the League of Nations when it was threatened with loss of its sovereignty as a result of charges that the country was participating in state sanctioned slave trading. In 1933 he was appointed Chief Justice a position he served in until his death in 1948. The Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law
Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law
Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law is the law school of the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia. Founded in 1951, it is named after former Chief Justice of the Liberian Supreme Court, Louis Arthur Grimes. The school offers a three-year program leading to the granting of the Bachelor of Laws...
at the University of Liberia
University of Liberia
The University of Liberia is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the school opened in 1863 as Liberia College and became a university in 1951. The school is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning...
is named for him. He was a 1905 graduate of Liberia College.
Justice Grimes' legacy was continued by his children, including Henry W. Grimes who was a pioneer in telecommunications in Liberia, Joseph Rudolph Grimes
Joseph Rudolph Grimes
Joseph Rudolph Grimes was a leading politician in Liberia. A trained lawyer, he served as Secretary of state from 1960 to 1971.-Early life:...
, the longest serving Secretary of State in Liberia and a primary author of the charter for the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and Dr. Mary Antoinette Brown Sherman, the first woman on the African continent to be the President of a major university.