Ruth Perry
Encyclopedia
Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry (born July 16, 1939) was Chairwoman of the Council of State of Liberia
from 3 September 1996 until 2 August 1997, following the First Liberian Civil War. The Council of State consisted of a civilian chair, as well as members: Charles Taylor, United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-K
leader Alhaji Kromah, Liberia Peace Council
leader George Boley
, and two other civilians.
She is known for being the first female president of Liberia. Liberia also has the distinction of electing Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as the first female African leader, making it only the second country on the continent with two female rulers in its history, after São Tomé and Príncipe
.
Following elections
held in July 1997, Perry handed power to Charles Taylor on 2 August.
, Liberia, the daughter of Marjon and AlHaji Semila Fahnbulleh. She is a Muslim
of Vai
ethnic ancestry. As a child, Perry participated in the Sande society
, a traditional school and secret society for females, and attended regular classes. Her parents later enrolled her in a Roman Catholic school for girls in Monrovia
run by missionary nuns.
Perry graduated from the Teachers College of the University of Liberia
. She worked as an elementary school teacher in Grand Cape Mount County.
She married McDonald Perry, a judge and legislator and they had seven children, one of whom, Georgia Jebbeh Perry, resides in the state of Rhode Island with her husband Augustus Duncan and their 5 children. Her other children, including the late Cecelia Marjon Goodridge who resided in Ohio with her husband Spencer Goodridge and their 5 children, take residence in several states across the U.S. and some still live in the West African country of Liberia. After her children were grown, Perry worked in the Monrovia office of Chase Manhattan Bank
in 1971 and taught at a Sande school as an elder.
In 1985, Perry won a seat in the Liberian Senate as a Unity Party
candidate. In response to Samuel Doe's presidential election after calling elections, Unity Party office-holders and other official opposition politicians boycotted the Senate in protest, asserting that the Doe government was illegitimate. Perry did not join the boycott and became the lone member of the opposition in the Assembly and served until 1989. Afterward, Perry launched a retail business and became active in civilian groups such as Women Initiative in Liberia, Women in Action for Goodwill, and the Association of Social Services that sought an end to the growing Liberian Civil War.
On August 17, 1996, ECOWAS representatives negotiated a cease-fire between Liberia's warring factions and announced that Perry would replace Wilton Sankawulo as chair of the Council of State in an interim government. Reportedly all four warlords in the Liberian conflict had agreed to the peace agreement with Perry as interim leader.
In 2004, she was an African President-in-Residence at the African Presidential Archives and Research Center at Boston University.
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...
from 3 September 1996 until 2 August 1997, following the First Liberian Civil War. The Council of State consisted of a civilian chair, as well as members: Charles Taylor, United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-K
United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-Kromah faction
The United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy–Kromah faction was a rebel group that was active during the First Liberian Civil War....
leader Alhaji Kromah, Liberia Peace Council
Liberia Peace Council
The Liberia Peace Council was a rebel group that participated in the Liberian Civil War under the leadership of George Boley.The LPC emerged in 1993, partly as a proxy force for the Armed Forces of Liberia...
leader George Boley
George Boley
George Eutychianus Saigbe Boley is a Liberian politician and former rebel leader. He is a member of the Krahn ethnic group. He is currently detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement on charges of lying in order to enter the United States and committing extrajudicial killing in...
, and two other civilians.
She is known for being the first female president of Liberia. Liberia also has the distinction of electing Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as the first female African leader, making it only the second country on the continent with two female rulers in its history, after São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off...
.
Following elections
Liberian elections, 1997
The 1997 Liberian general election was held on 19 July 1997 as part of the 1996 peace agreement ending the First Liberian Civil War. The presidency, as well as all seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate were up for election...
held in July 1997, Perry handed power to Charles Taylor on 2 August.
Background
Perry was born July 16, 1939, in a rural area of Grand Cape Mount CountyGrand Cape Mount County
Grand Cape Mount is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has five districts. Robertsport serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring...
, Liberia, the daughter of Marjon and AlHaji Semila Fahnbulleh. She is a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
of Vai
Vai (ethnic group)
The Vai are a Manden ethnic group that live mostly in Liberia and small minority live in south-eastern Sierra Leone. The Vai are known for their indigenous syllabic writing system, developed in the 1820s by Duala Bukele and other tribal elders. Over the course of the 19th century, literacy in the...
ethnic ancestry. As a child, Perry participated in the Sande society
Sande society
Sande, also known as zadεgi, bundu, bundo and bondo, is a women's association found in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea that initiates girls into adulthood, confers fertility, instills notions of morality and proper sexual comportment, and maintains an interest in the well-being of its members...
, a traditional school and secret society for females, and attended regular classes. Her parents later enrolled her in a Roman Catholic school for girls in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
run by missionary nuns.
Perry graduated from the Teachers College of 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...
. She worked as an elementary school teacher in Grand Cape Mount County.
She married McDonald Perry, a judge and legislator and they had seven children, one of whom, Georgia Jebbeh Perry, resides in the state of Rhode Island with her husband Augustus Duncan and their 5 children. Her other children, including the late Cecelia Marjon Goodridge who resided in Ohio with her husband Spencer Goodridge and their 5 children, take residence in several states across the U.S. and some still live in the West African country of Liberia. After her children were grown, Perry worked in the Monrovia office of Chase Manhattan Bank
Chase Manhattan Bank
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is a national bank that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of financial services firm JPMorgan Chase. The bank was known as Chase Manhattan Bank until it merged with J.P. Morgan & Co. in 2000...
in 1971 and taught at a Sande school as an elder.
In 1985, Perry won a seat in the Liberian Senate as a Unity Party
Unity Party (Liberia)
The Unity Party is a political party in Liberia that was started in 1984 by the late Dr. Edward B. Kesselly, also its first standard bearer. The Unity Party participated the first post-1980 coup elections, running against then-President Samuel Doe in October 1985...
candidate. In response to Samuel Doe's presidential election after calling elections, Unity Party office-holders and other official opposition politicians boycotted the Senate in protest, asserting that the Doe government was illegitimate. Perry did not join the boycott and became the lone member of the opposition in the Assembly and served until 1989. Afterward, Perry launched a retail business and became active in civilian groups such as Women Initiative in Liberia, Women in Action for Goodwill, and the Association of Social Services that sought an end to the growing Liberian Civil War.
On August 17, 1996, ECOWAS representatives negotiated a cease-fire between Liberia's warring factions and announced that Perry would replace Wilton Sankawulo as chair of the Council of State in an interim government. Reportedly all four warlords in the Liberian conflict had agreed to the peace agreement with Perry as interim leader.
In 2004, she was an African President-in-Residence at the African Presidential Archives and Research Center at Boston University.