European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 5, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cultural transition with Pitfalls Black american women who wed africans by James Brooke new York times to decades have passed by the memory is Clear. A1 a civil rights March in Tuscaloosa Ala. Arlene r. George heard an angry voice Stoul go bad to Africa " Well Here i am George said Wilh a Good natured chuckle As she look a break recently in Arlene Ner soul food Resi auran on Warren Street in Monrovia capital of Liberia. In the 1950s and l9eos. As a wave of Independence swept across Africa Many african men came to the United sales to study. These foreigners handsome courteous and sell confident caught the eyes of american women who were their classmates. In due Courso Bicu Tural couples sol Oft to make their live in Ghana. Nigeria. Kenya and other new nations o the continent. For George and four other Black american women who married liberians. Lile in Africa has brought both Joy and disappoint men the move had in s Pitfalls George and another woman arc now divorced. Bui like transition was probably eased by the historically close lies Ihal Bifid Black America to the West african nation. Liberia settled by freed american slaves largely from Alabama. Maryland Mississippi and Virginia became Africa s firs Independent Republic in t�m7, the american women Alt southerners said they knew none of this history when they Ware growing up. The Only thing l knew about Liberia was Liberia drive in Roberts Park a Norfolk housing  said one of the women. Linnie Kesselly a native of Norfolk. A. It was Only after Miry info Edward b. Kesselly a Young Liberan student of political science thai she Learned that the development was named after Joseph Jenkins Roberts Liberia s Lisl president and a Norfolk native. Lue Ann hangar from Crystal Spring miss., silting in the living room of her Home As a fan pushed humid air around Roll Clad on How Lille she had known of Africa. You grow up Wilh Tarzan movies they just show Bush and  she sad. They Don t show the cities and  each of the women said she met her future husband while he was a College Side no in the United slate. To a woman they said that the africans manners impressed them. Stephen was More polite than the american  recalled Betty j. Carter a native of Bryan Texas who is twice divorced from liberian men of her first husband Stephen a. Tolbert. Rfcs brother was Liberia s vice president when Iho couple daled in the 1950s. It Erma Bombeck was More Excil no he was from a country where i had never  Bui the women also recalled thai heir plans to wed africans had nol always been greeted with enthusiasm by their families my aunt got out a Little Book it must have been published in 1914 and read to me Aboul the scorpions the heat and How Many people each year die of  Marva cheap poo a native of Buford is said with a sigh. The aunt also commented on her Choice of husbands. Cha cheap poo St. He d be upstairs running water in a tub and she would whisper to me he s used to bathing in lakes " mrs. Cheap poo recalled. Her husband a lawyer has served As Liberia s Justice minister and As a senator. Hangar whose husband is a fundamentalist missionary recalled i rinds asking incredulously " Vou re giving up All this Lor Africa in Many marriages adjustment to Africa was eased by the american wives Low expectations for the continent. I really did l have any illusions my husband kept asking me can you blow coals for a tire can you go to the Kreeft and get water " Kesselly Savici. Today she laughs about it. In her 20 years in Liberia. Kesselly has relied largely on a household staff who freed her of Many Domestic duties As site served As the director of Liberia s a service and As president of the liberian red Cross. These women of the deep South found comforts in the physical setting of West Africa that seemed vaguely familiar and in the warmth of the african Welcome. I m used to Palm Trees red dirt unpaved roads humidity a Small Community cheap poo said As she sat in the storefront office of the Tan Dat 3, an High Page daily newspaper she edits in Monrovia. Kesselly recalled that after her arrival. Family friends came by with a big tray of  my father in Law Sal me Down and traced the family tree Back to if 16th  she said. The americans soon Learned Ihal the african concepts of family and hospitality can be quite expansive. Americans Are be y conservative when they see you Are about to Eal they go Homo hangar said. Africans would be very offended if you did l invite them to stay for dinner. So i just Learned to Cook Alii tie extra in Case someone slops  George no was married to a liberian Diplomat said she had been irritated by the loss of private hours with her husband people just drop in no matter How Long i live Here i will never gel used to people invading my  she said. Several of the women said they saw their husbands change on resuming to Africa you Aroul so fooling yourself if you think it is going 10 be just live for the Olner Side George said. One morning i was looking Jolloff  she said referring to a liberian dish i said. Come on in and talc it a said we re inca men Don t go into i to Kitchen " by american standards african women play subservient roles in Many african societies a powerful Man is entitled to have As Many wives As he can afford. The women who divorced their liberian husbands George and Carter said that they had refused o adjust to several of the traditions. They expect to go out and slay Oul tale at places where ust men go and you have to stay at Home said Carler. The americans Aiso Dis Oveid that Africa can be the unstable place cheap poo aunt had warned her about. Carter s family lost almost All Ihler businesses in 1960, when William r. Tolbert. The clan patriarch who was then Liberia s president is murdered and Dise bowled by a group of soldiers led by master sgt. Samuel k. Doe. Now Liberia s president. Dep be economic hard times Carter now ills her restaurant largely on the strength of her outgoing personality. She also makes a comfortable living running Monrovia s Only garbage collection service but five of her six children have moved to the United slate to pursue careers. Kesselly said her husband an opposition candidate for the presidency in Liberia s 1965 elections a been jailed rive times by the Doe regime since 1980, and cheap poo said her husband had been jailed twice since then arid left the country several times to avoid arrest. My 7-year-old daughter was born just after they lord me thai Rny husband was in jail and that they did t know his Fate she said. Despite the ups and Downs Ell the women said Ihler gives were now in Africa and that they Fri no intention of moving Bach to the United Stales. When in Orviene