Succeeded by Edvard Hambro Profession Diplomat, attorney | Name Angie Brooks Education Shaw University | |
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Preceded by Emilio Arenales Catalan Died September 9, 2007, Houston, Texas, United States | ||
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Angie Elizabeth Brooks (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. She was also the second woman from any nation to head the U.N.
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In 1954 she became Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, where much of her work involved the transformation of former colonial states into independent countries. 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. 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.
Biography
The daughter of a Baptist minister and one of nine children, Brooks was raised by a widowed seamstress. After a teenage marriage and divorce 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. In 1949, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in social science from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. 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. Brooks earned Doctor of Law degrees, from Shaw University and Howard University in 1962 and 1967 respectively. She also did graduate work in international law at the University College Law School of the University of London in 1952 and 1953, and obtained a Doctor of Civil Law degree from the University of Liberia in 1964.
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. She was also a part-time Professor of Law at University of Liberia from 1954 to 1958.
Brooks was a member of the Eta Beta Omega international chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Angie Brooks had two biological sons, Richard A. Henries II and Wynston Henries. In addition, she was also a foster mother to daughters Marjorie and Eda. 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. Brooks received a state funeral in Liberia and was buried in her birthplace of Virginia in Montserrado County.