Interview with Jemima Natt Roberts, February 20, 2014

Interview Summary

Jemima describes her childhood and schooling until her high school graduation in 1965 at age 20. Given to her childless aunt and uncle at about age 7, she lived in several different parts of Liberia as her uncle moved with the army. She eventually went to boarding school in her early teens. She fell in love with the biology teacher/farm manager/dean of boys. They married and moved to Cuttington College in 1965. Teaching elementary school, managing the college food service, serving as Dean of Women, all while raising four children and earning a B.A. in political science occupied her life until the war in 1989. She had visited the U.S. twice before coming to the U.S. to live with her son in 2003. She talks about adjusting to the U.S. as an older person.

Interview Keyword

Barrabo Bibi Roberts, Sr. Career Childhood Citizenship Civil war College Community Education Elders Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Family Garraway Grand Gedek Older people Immigrants Ivory Coast Marriage Refugees Sinyea Suehn Tchien

Interview LC Subject

Africa Liberia

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.