Dr. Patricia Holmes, an associate professor of communication at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, met with Liberia's president when she visited that country earlier this year.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is Africa's first elected female head of state. Liberia is on the west coast of Africa.
Holmes travelled to Liberia and Ghana to conduct research for her second book: “Liberia, West Africa, Rubber and Firestone: the Price of Growing Quality Rubber in a Troubled Land.” The book will trace the cultural impact of the rise and fall of the Firestone Rubber Company in Liberia. Firestone, now a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corp., has grown rubber in Liberia since the 1920s.
"From an intercultural perspective, this is an exciting book to write," said Holmes. It will focus on civil unrest in Liberia that led to major problems for Firestone and its operations. Her first book was “Broadcasting in Sierra Leone.” In 1934, Liberia became the first nation in Africa to begin wired radio broadcasting.
Holmes and Johnson-Sirleaf are long-time friends: they met in Liberia in the late 1970s, when Johnson-Sirleaf was Liberia's minister of finance. Holmes worked for the Liberian Development Corporation, developing tourism. She later worked as a media specialist, librarian and photography instructor for the U.S. State Department's International School in Monrovia, Liberia's capital. She has been a member of the University faculty since 1997.
During her visit, Holmes gave Johnson-Sirleaf a portrait of the leader painted by Adrian Fulton, a former University student and former art instructor for UL Lafayette Continuing Education; a UL Lafayette tote bag; and a copy of La Louisiane, the University's magazine. Holmes also presented the president with a letter from Rose Honneger, director of the University's Office of International Affairs. In it, Honneger discussed the possibility of creating a study-abroad program in Liberia.
Johnson-Sirleaf and two other women, Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman, received a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work," according to information posted on Nobelprize.org.
Photo info: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Dr. Patricia Holmes, right, met with the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, during a visit to the country earlier this year.