Interview with Jemima Natt Roberts, February 20, 2014

Partial Transcript: Okay. I am Angene Wilson and I am interviewing, uh, Jemima Roberts who was born in Liberia for the Africans in the Bluegrass Oral History Project at the University of Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Born in Maryland County, Liberia, Jemima Roberts went to live with her aunt and uncle at about age 7 because they had no children. Her father had seven children, three with her mother, four outside. She moved around the country living in different places because her uncle was in the army. In fifth grade Jemima went to boarding school at Suehn Industrial Academy.

Keywords: Barrobo District (Liberia); Grand Gedeh County (Liberia); Grebo language; Maryland County (Liberia); Suehn Industrial Academy; Tchien District (Liberia)

Subjects: Education; Families.; Liberia

Partial Transcript: What are some good memories about--or just, just memories period.

Segment Synopsis: Roberts talks about her grandfather's plantation growing sugar cane and coconuts, and was fairly wealthy. Her father had a store and traded with the Germans. He owned a fishing boat and was a Methodist minister. Her father bought a refrigerator in the 1960s and told her mother on his deathbed to keep it so the children would always have ice water. Being at boarding school taught her to be responsible. She made a lot of friends, and had to study to keep up with others. She also talks about missionaries and Peace Corps teachers.

Keywords: Boarding schools; Missionaries; Peace Corps; Suehn

Subjects: Childhood; Education; Occupations.

Partial Transcript: And so then you graduated in nineteen sixty--

Segment Synopsis: Roberts got to know Bibi Roberts when he tutored her in math. They married after her graduation in 1965. They moved to Cuttington College when Bibi became farm manager. Living there was an advantage for the children because of the American elementary school on campus. She taught second grade at Sinyea village school until 1974 when she was employed in Cuttington College in charge of food service. After 1977 she worked in the library and then decided she wanted to go to college. Three staff wives started together part-time and she got a degree in political science in 1985. From 1986 she was Assistant Dean of Women until the war started in 1989.

Keywords: Children's education; Cuttington College; Dating; Earning a college degree; Jobs; Marriage; Parents; Tutoring; Wife

Subjects: College administrators; College graduates; Education; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Universities and colleges.

Partial Transcript: So, um, you, you first came to the United States in nineteen--

Segment Synopsis: Roberts knew a lot about the U.S. before she visited in 1977. She and Bibi went to Virginia Beach and to Disney World. She tells a story about how she got to fly first class on Pan Am. In 1988 she came for six weeks to Richmond, Virginia for thyroid treatment. In 1992 she came to Lexington, Kentucky for six weeks for her son Bibi's wedding.

Keywords: Episcopal Church Women; Lexington (Ky.); Pan-American Airlines; Richmond (Va.); Travel to U.S.

Subjects: International travel.; Tourism; Travel.

Partial Transcript: Uh, and then the war kept--uh, I mean sometimes things weren't so bad and then they were very bad and you were--you ha, had to actually leave.

Segment Synopsis: In 1995 they ran from the campus and were in the bush for three months, then back to Cuttington, and then went to Danane, Ivory Coast for three years as refugees. She tells about some of the girls in their group of 30 making market, baking bread to make some money. In 1998 they returned to Cuttington, then by June 2003 the war forced them back to Monrovia. She tells about leaving Liberia for the U.S. in 2003.

Keywords: Berea College; Ivory Coast; Liberian civil war; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Subjects: Liberia; Liberia--History--Civil War, 1999-2003.; Refugees

Partial Transcript: When you came, um, on July 5th, did you think you would be staying?

Segment Synopsis: Roberts talks about the process of getting a social security number, and a green card. She explains:
"America is not an easy country to live in. You have to be strong to live here. You have to do things for yourself." She talks about the expectations of Liberians at home for remittances.

Keywords: Green cards; Remittances; Senior Citizen Center Program; Social Security numbers

Subjects: Emigration and immigration.; Immigrants--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: So, h, how many, how many Liberians do you think there are in, like in central Kentucky at this point?

Segment Synopsis: Roberts talks about differences among Liberians who have come to the U.S., those who came earlier and those who are refugees and are often illiterate.

Keywords: Illiteracy

Subjects: Emigration and immigration.; Immigrants--Kentucky; Refugees

Partial Transcript: What, um, what did--when you came to live, what did you find easiest to adapt to? What did you find hardest?

Segment Synopsis: Roberts talks about difference in greeting people. Sometimes people look down on you because of color. "So far living here has been good."

Keywords: Greeting people; Race

Subjects: Emigration and immigration.; Immigrants--Kentucky; Race relations--United States

Partial Transcript: When did you decide that you were going to become citizens?

Segment Synopsis: Roberts explains why they became citizens.

Keywords: Citizenship

Subjects: Emigration and immigration.; Immigrants--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Um, how do you keep in touch with people in Liberia? How often, how often do you talk to people in Liberia?

Segment Synopsis: Roberts talks to family in Liberia weekly and also family in the U.S., and follows news on the internet.

Keywords: Internet; Long distance communication; Phone cards

Subjects: Families.; Immigrants--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: What kinds of questions do people ask about Liberia?

Segment Synopsis: Roberts explains that accent difficulties go both ways. She talks about American misconceptions about Africa. She identifies herself as from Liberia, West Africa.

Keywords: Accent; Language; Misconceptions

Subjects: Africans--Race identity; Liberia

Partial Transcript: Um, last question. More than 13,000 individuals, 13,000, born in African countries now live in Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Roberts talks about her husband working in the Foster Parent Program; her own work at the Senior Citizen Center and at the Tower Plaza; her role in the Liberian community as the senior mother figure and counselor to other younger Liberians; her role as interpreter in the court for Liberian; her roles in the church, including member of the Vestry and facilitating the dying wish of a member.

Keywords: Church; Counselors; Foster Parent program; Interpreters; Senior citizen programs

Subjects: Communities.; Community leadership