The Autobiography of an African Princess

"A truly fascinating autobiography of arguably the most intriguing woman in Liberia in the first half of the twentieth century, supplying a rich mine of information on the Vai, on early Liberia, the power elite, and race relations in three countries Germany, Switzerland, and the United States. Superbly edited by three competent hands, Fatima Massaquoi comes through as well-bred, royal, regal, and majestic. This is a book to teach students about the transformative powers of nationalism, transnationalism, and cosmopolitanism." - Toyin Falola, author of a Mouth Sweeter Than Salt: An African Memoir "Vivian Seton, Konrad Tuchscherer, and Arthur Abraham have given us a great gift: a memoir of a fascinating woman who was a lively and perceptive observer of a critical period of world history, in Africa, Germany, and the United States. It is a rich and rewarding book, expertly edited and introduced, now properly preserved for posterity." - Marcus Rediker, author of The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom "[This is a] one-of-a-kind tale of a life lived on three continents, chronicling everything from insider views of traditional life and societies in Africa, to intense racism in other parts of the world." - Jene Desmond-Harris, TheRoot.com "Gem of a book ... beautifully written, exquisitely edited ... An important contribution to the understanding of 20th-century African history." - Elizabeth Schmidt, Professor of History, Loyola University of Maryland, author of Foreign Intervention in Africa (CUP, 2013) 'The Autobiography of an African Princess takes us on an extraordinary trans-Atlantic journey from Gendema in Sierra Leone, to Monrovia in Liberia, Hamburg in Germany, Geneva in Switzerland, Tennessee in the United States, and back to Monrovia. During that journey, local histories, cultures, languages, and values crossed part with the darker side of human nature that found expression in racial bigotry Nazism and Jim Crowism sexism, and ethnocentrism.' - African Studies Quarterly (December 2014)

Vivian Seton is the daughter and only child of Fatima Massaquoi. She received her Abitur from the Freie Waldorf Schule in Germany, an LL.B from the University of Liberia, and an MSc from Georgetown's School of Languages and Linguistics. She has taught French and German at Montgomery College, Catholic University, and the University of Liberia. In the 1970s and 1980s she worked as a producer, writer, and broadcaster in Liberia. Seton has worked for the Voice of America and the German Broadcasting System and publishes Lady magazine. Konrad Tuchscherer is a specialist in the history of written traditions in Africa, including the Vai script of Liberia, and his work has appeared in major journals and featured in reports by the BBC and NPR. He is the past recipient of Marshall and Fulbright awards. Tuchscherer contributed to the Smithsonian's groundbreaking exhibition on African scripts and wrote a chapter in the resulting book, Inscribing Meaning (2007). He co-produced the documentary film, Ghosts of the Amistad (2014). Tuchscherer is Associate Professor of History and Director of Africana Studies at St. John's University in New York City. Arthur Abraham is one of the foremost historians of Sierra Leone who has researched/taught at universities in Europe, Africa and the United States. He has a lot of publications to his credit and is the leading authority on the Mende. He has served as a consultant for governments, film-makers and developers. His most famous work is Mende Government and Politics under Colonial Rule: A Historical Study of Political Change in Sierra Leone, 1890-1937 (1978). Currently Professor of History and Eminent Scholar at Virginia State University, USA, he is also the chairman of the Department of History and Philosophy.

Foreword by Hans Massaquoi 1. My Birthplace, Ethnicity and Parents 2. My Birth and Customs about Childbirth in the Gallinas Country 3. Life and Customs in the Bali (Bari) country of Sierra Leone. 4. Life and Customs in the Vai Country of Liberia 5. On Beauty and Aspects of Vai Social Organization 6. Life in Monrovia 7. School Begins at Julie C. Emery Hall 8. More on Life at the Mission School 9. I Bid Farewell to Liberia 10. I Arrive in Germany 11. I Meet a Nazi and More on the Work of the Consulate-General 12. Hard Times, 'isms' and School 13. Christmas and School Trips in Germany 14. The 'Invincibles' and My Departure for Switzerland 15. L'Ecole Superieure et Secondaire (Switzerland) and Rough Times on My Return to Germany 16. Departure for America 17. Welcome for a 'Savage' at Lane College and Death of Father 18. The Fisk University Saga 19. Goodbye Friends You Shall Be Hearing from Me