Romeo Alexander Horton (1923–2005) was a Liberian economist, banker, and civil servant.[a] Horton conceived the idea of the African Development Bank and was one of the founders of the bank.[2][3]

Romeo A. Horton
Born1923 (1923)
Monrovia, Liberia
Died2005(2005-00-00) (aged 81–82)
Occupation(s)Civil servant, banker, and economist

Early life edit

Romeo Horton was born to Reverend Daniel Horton, a Jamaican minister, and Ora Milner Horton, an African American from Georgia on August 20, 1923, in Monrovia, Liberia. Horton began his education at the Ricks Institute in Virginia, Liberia, under the tutelage of his father who was principal. Horton's father transferred to the Booker Washington Institute (specifically to the Agriculture Department) and Horton also enrolled there and graduated his eighth grade class in 1937. Horton graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]

Professional career edit

As a businessman, he was the founder and president of the Bank of Liberia. He briefly served as the president of Liberia National Airlines.[5][6]

As a civil servant, he served as an economic advisor to William Tubman, the 19th president of Liberia, before he was promoted to Secretary of Commerce, Industry and Labor.[7] He was the chairman of the Liberia Elections Support Group and the managing director of the Economic Community of West African States.[8][9]

His memoir, For Country, Africa, and My People was published in 2004.[10]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Horton disputed the label Americo-Liberian and referred to himself as Liberian.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ MD, Lawrence Zumo (2013-09-30). The Nobody Manifesto & You. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781491820773.
  2. ^ Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1962-11-22.
  3. ^ Dunn, D. Elwood (March 2013). Liberia and Independent Africa, 1940s To 2012: A Brief Political Profile. Africana Homestead Legacy Pb. ISBN 9781937622510.
  4. ^ Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1976-11-11.
  5. ^ Guttery, Ben R. (1998). Encyclopedia of African Airlines. Ben Guttery. ISBN 9780786404957.
  6. ^ Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News. 1965.
  7. ^ Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1965-10-21.
  8. ^ West African Journal. Mualay Entertainment Communications. 1991.
  9. ^ Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1978.
  10. ^ Horton, A. Romeo (2004). For Country, Africa, and My People. Ghana Universities Press. ISBN 9789964303334.