Jump to content

Gershon Collier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gershon Beresford Onesimus Collier
Sierra Leone's first permanent representative to the Headquarters of the United Nations
of  Sierra Leone
to  United Nations
In office
1961 – February 17, 1967
Succeeded byChristopher Okoro Cole
Sierra Leonean Ambassador to the United States [es]
of  Sierra Leone
to  United States
In office
November 20, 1963 – February 17, 1967
Preceded byRichard Edmund Kelfa-Caulker
Succeeded byChristopher Okoro Cole
Chief Justice of Sierra Leone
In office
February 17, 1967 – March 21, 1967
Preceded bySir Samuel Bankole Jones[1]
Succeeded byBanja Tejan-Sie
Personal details
Born(1927-02-16)February 16, 1927
Freetown
DiedMay 25, 1994(1994-05-25) (aged 67)
New York City[citation needed]
SpouseFashn Dora (m. 1954)
Children2
Parents
  • Samuel Adolphus Collier (father)
  • Maria Jeanette Collier (mother)
EducationCMS Grammar School and Fourah Bay College

Gershon Beresford Onesimus Collier (February 16, 1927 – May 25, 1994) was a Sierra Leone Creole diplomat, Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, and educator.

Career

[edit]

Collier was called to the English Bar in London.[2]

When Albert Margai left the Sierra Leone People's Party in 1958, Collier went with him and became a member of the People's National Party's first executive committee.[2]

In 1961, he became Sierra Leone's first permanent representative to the United Nations.[3]

In 1967, Margai arranged his nomination as Chief Justice of Sierra Leone. However, Margai lost the election in 1967 and Collier lost his office as Chief Justice.[2]

In 1967, Collier immigrated to New York City, where he took a teaching appointment at New York University.[4]

Collier's granddaughter Napheesa Collier won a gold medal in basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Olympics.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Samuel Bankole Jones Samuel Bankole Jones
  2. ^ a b c Pande, Ritvan (2024-07-02). "Meet Napheesa Collier's Grandfather Gershon - A Freedom Fighter For Sierra Leone Who Also Was a United Nations Ambassador". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  3. ^ "First Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone Presents Credentials". UN Photo. 1 October 1961. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  4. ^ Magbaily C. Fyle, Historical Dictionary of Sierra Leone, p. 38
  5. ^ "Napheesa Collier". www.teamusa.com. 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2024-08-18.