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Riot in Monrovia posted on November 7, 2011 - 10:02pm

Around 1 pm, word spread that shots had been fired at the CDC headquarters in Monrovia. When I arrived, CDC supporters eagerly escorted me upstairs into the room in the main building where a man, shot in the head, was clearly dead. They said others had died too, as many as four or five. Others were injured as well.The phone network went out, and it was hard to tell what was happening.
The strangest part was a stand off between the Liberian riot police and the Nigerian UNMIL unit. The jury is still out on what happened there. It seemed that many people were itching for a fight.
“Tonight, tonight there will be a massacre.” I heard it again and again. Let’s all hope it isn’t true.

Editing posted on October 26, 2011 - 9:55pm

Tim Hetherington’s Legacy posted on October 21, 2011 - 3:51pm


Six months ago, when Tim Hetherington died, I had just returned to New York from the Liberia-Ivory Coast border. His work, which I thought of often, was with me then as I made the difficult adjustment from humanitarian crisis to Brooklyn life.

Prince Johsnon’s Eagle posted on October 19, 2011 - 4:29pm


Liberia election outtakes posted on October 19, 2011 - 4:07pm
Photo of the day, or rather, the night posted on October 19, 2011 - 12:55am


Above Waterside. Monrovia, October 2011. 
 

Voting Day Photos posted on October 12, 2011 - 1:10pm

Voting in Liberia’s elections yesterday was calm and organized. I spent most of the day in Bomi County waiting for Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to vote, and then came back to Monrovia in the evening.
EJS stood in line for nearly half an hour before a special line for the “elderly” was created so she could be vast tracked to vote. I hear the Tubman and Weah didn’t wait in line at all.
All photos copyright Glenna Gordon/AFP

Portrait of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf posted on October 10, 2011 - 5:33pm


I took this portrait of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in August 2009 for the New York Times Magazine. The interviewer, Deborah Solomon, is often hard on her subjects and I worried about future access to the president because of being associated with what could have potentially been a stern piece. I had nothing to fear, as the west continues to embrace Ellen while she struggles at home.

FotoWeekDC 2011 posted on October 10, 2011 - 4:45pm


Liberian women drive around in a white stretch limo Staten Island, New York for a Mother’s Day celebration in 2011. During decades of political unrest, many Liberians fled and found a new home in Staten Island. While the fifth borough is often thought of as home to white middle class Italians, its black population grew 12 percent last year, mainly due to influxes of African refugees. Staten Island isn’t the only place seeing an influx of Africans — more than 10 percent of new green cards awarded in 2010 were given to African immigrants. 

Thirty-six hours in Lagos posted on October 10, 2011 - 4:29pm

Had an amazing time in Lagos! Though much too short, but Liberian elections beckon. More soon, but for now, read about the festival on the Lagos Photo blog.