Antoinette Louise Padmore Tubman (24 February 191418 May 2011) was the wife of the

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

n politician William S. Tubman and the First Lady of Liberia from 1948 to 1971.

Biography

Antoinette Padmore was born in Monrovia on 24 February 1914. Her parents were James Stanley Padmore and Mary Louise Barclay-Padmore, who has both emigrated from

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

. Her mother died when she was young, as a result she was brought up by her aunt Elizabeth Barclay-Sherman. She was educated at Bromley Mission, an episcopal school, then moved to Paris to study fashion. On her return she opened the first school of fashion and modelling in Monrovia. She married William Tubman on 17 September 1948. She was his third wife. They had one daughter, Wilhemina Tubman-Tucker.

Work as First Lady

Tubman was First Lady of Liberia from her marriage in 1948 to the death of her husband in 1971. In the Executive Mansion she set up a museum with artefacts relating to her husband's presidency as well as previous ones. More significantly, Tubman used her influential role as First Lady raise funds and awareness for philanthropic and humanitarian causes, including: orphans, the homeless, the mentally ill. In August 1957, a new orphanage funded by the Antoinette Tubman Children's Welfare Foundation was opened in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. In 1958 she set up a charity dedicated to fund-raising for a new hospital for the mentally ill in Monrovia. She was president of the Social Services Association. She was noted for her involvement in political life. After her husband's death in July 1971, his estimated fortune of $220 million (~$ in ) made her one of the richest women in the world. She established the William V S Tubman Memorial Museum on their estate, east of Monrovia in

Totota Totota is a small town in Bong County, Liberia, with a population between 5,000 and 8,000 depending on the season. The main paved road from Monrovia to Gbarnga Gbarnga is the capital city of Bong County, Liberia, lying north east of Monrovia. ...

, based on the collection she founded early in their marriage. As well as being First Lady, Tubman also ran two businesses: a motel and restaurant called Coocoo's Nest; a plantation and roasters called Wilmetco Coffee. She died on 18 May 2011. She was buried on 11 June 2011 at the United Methodist Church, Monrovia.

Legacy

The sports stadium in Monrovia was named the

Antoinette Tubman Stadium The Antoinette Tubman Stadium (frequently abbreviated ATS Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium located in Monrovia, Liberia. It is used mostly for football matches although it has also been used for music concerts, major church events, political r ...

in her honor.

Awards

1956 - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tubman, Antoinette 1914 births 2011 deaths First ladies and gentlemen of Liberia Liberian human rights activists Women human rights activists People from Monrovia Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Liberian women's rights activists Liberian people of Barbadian descent