Pieces Of The Mind

About the Book

AN INTRODUCTION: Like most, if not all historical writers, this book is intended to capture the historical accounts of my own growing up experiences and memories of Liberia and outside of Liberia as well as some of the political eras of my time beginning with the late President, William V.S. Tubman in whose Administration I was born. Additionally, the book will cite investors in the eras under discussion and their contributions to the National Development of Liberia. Let me be quick to point out those elements of the book prior to 1944 and perhaps in the early 1960’s were impacted by civic/social studies teachers in primary and secondary schools as well as my own research effort. Others were by both personal experiences and interviews conducted over the years. Technically, and it is so written in history books, President William R. Tubman was the 19th President of the Republic of Liberia and after him, came President William R. Tolbert, followed by Samuel K. Doe, Charles G. Taylor, and Madame Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. However, there were Interim and/or Non-Presidential Heads of States all of which will be discussed in my book. While this may sound repetitive to most readers, it is intended to help me set the stage to narrate my story. The book is intended to chronologically discuss these past Presidents mentioned herein, including Transitional/Non-Presidential Administrations in Liberia. Therefore, the first chapter will talk about the William V.S. Tubman Era including his “Open Door Policy” and everything in between.

About the Author

AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY Now a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and residing in New Jersey, USA, I was born in Madina, Bomi County, Liberia in the early 1950’s to the union of Mr. Mambue (Morris) Bailey and Kula Massaley. Our village, Madina, was founded by my grandfather Loseni Massaley and his twin brother, Lassana Massaley. Both twin brothers lived, died and were buried near the Mosque in the town. Our Town is predominantly inhabited by individuals, mostly blood related, and of the Muslim religion. Yet, I turned out to be Christian. As a young man, I attended a primary school that taught both Islam and English. After graduating from primary school, I enrolled at Demonstration Afternoon School located on Clay Street in the Capital City of Monrovia. I left the Demonstration Afternoon School because my parents could not support me in the City as they were dependent on domestic farming in order to survive. Through an uncle who was then Superintendent of Lofa County in the early 1970’s helped to secure a year’s scholarship for me to attend a Baptish Missionary supported school (Suehn Industrial Mission) located my County and just a few miles from my village. At the end of the year scholarship, I returned in the City of Monrovia and enrolled at the then Government Junior High School on Broad Street but later transferred in the evening division called People’s College where I graduated high school in 1971. In March of 1972, I obtained a clerical position at the ELWA Radio Station in Paynesville, Monrovia, Liberia where I served not only as clerk, but also a Liberian Language (Vai) Broadcaster. In 1974, I obtained a better position in the Letter & Credit Department of the then Chase Manhattan Bank where SN Brussels Airline is now located. Finally, in 1976, I landed a secretarial position with the then Deputy Minister of Education, Christine Tolbert-Norman, who was also daughter of the President of Liberia at the time, William R. Tolbert. With the assistance of a cousin who resided in the United States before me, I had the opportunity to secure an I-20 to travel to the United States on December 7, 1979. I enrolled at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey and obtained an Associate of Science (AS) Degree in 1981. While I worked by night as a Security Guard, I then enrolled at Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey and I graduated in Spring of 1984/85 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. I continued to work in Security this time at Ramapo State College in Northern New Jersey. In 1989, I obtained a counseling aide position and presently a full counselor position with the New Jersey Department of Labor. With a Master’s Degree being a requirement to becoming a full counselor and potential promotion, I enrolled in graduate school at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New Jersey where I earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology in 1992. In 2008, nearly three years after President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became the first female President of Liberia, I was contracted for three years under the Senior Executive Service (SES) Program that is run by the Civil Service Agency of Liberia and supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and was assigned at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Department of the Interior) to serve as Senior Human Resources Advisor & Consultant. I resigned that position at closed of the Contract and returned to my previous position with the New Jersey Department of Labor in September, 2011 where I remain at present.