Dr. Florence Kezia Omolara Mahoney, a remarkable figure alumnus of Queen Mary University of London (then Westfield College) in Gambian history, not only as a historian and author but also as a pioneer in education & history. She earned the title of being the first Gambian woman to obtain a PhD, an achievement that speaks to her dedication and impact in academia. Her further education path began at Westfield College where she secured her bachelor's degree in history in 1951, setting the stage for a groundbreaking career that would influence generations. Born in Bathurst (now Banjul), Gambia, as Florence Kezia Omolara Peters (maiden name) early education started there at St. Mary's Anglican Primary School and the Methodist Girls' High School before she embarked on higher studies in the United Kingdom. Her journey shows the importance of representation in academia and the sharing the history of Africa through research.
Through exploring the archives at Queen Mary many fascinating insights were unveiled into Dr Florence Mahoney's time at Westfield College from 1949 to 1951. During the era where she gained her place, Westfield (the women’s college) institution began seeking out students from West Africa as mentioned in the principal’s records from the archives. It seems this began with Princess Tejumade Alakija who an article has previously based on. The principal’s reports mention her as follows: “We shall however have our second West African (student): Miss Peters of Gambia who (...) made good in History. She is the product of our “post war planning” to accord special attention to West African students”. They were both photographed together in the same college photo showing the students and the section containing Dr Florence Mahoney is pictured in this image below.
During her time at Westfield College, she was noted to have served as president of the Folk Dance Club, a popular student society known for hosting lively dance parties and actively contributing to the Chapel Trust Committee. Below, you can see images of the chapel at Westfield College, built in 1929, which played a significant role in the society and her campus life.
After completing her Bachelors, she returned to Gambia in 1952, where she married Dr John Mahoney, a renowned Gambian surgeon who had also studied in the UK. However, her passion for history brought her back to the UK to further her studies in Education at the University of Oxford. Her academic pursuits further continued as she returned to Westfield in the early 1960s to pursue a master's degree in African history as an intercollegiate degree alongside SOAS that then turned into PhD under the mentorship of Dr J. D. Fage, a notable lecturer in African history. Dr Fage co-founded the Journal of African History, the first academic journal in Britain dedicated solely to African studies. This was seen in both the SOAS and Queen Mary Archives, specifically in the latter where the following update was made about her in the 1961 student magazine named the Hermes in 1961 edition in a section about alumni: ’F. Mahoney is back at Westfield working for an M.A.. She is planning to return home to Gambia in March to bring her 2 sons to a residential Nursery in Sussex’. Her drive, alongside her mentorship in her postgraduate degrees and her interest in Gambian history were invaluable to her success as it led to her ground-breaking achievement of becoming the first Gambian woman awarded a PhD. Completed in 1963, her doctoral dissertation, titled "Government and Public Opinion in the Gambia, 1816-1914," was a collaborative effort between SOAS and Westfield College, both part of the University of London at that time. Her thesis focused on the influence of British colonial rule on political awareness in Gambia, tracing the roots of public life and independence movements within the country. According to sources from her family, she passed her viva interview on the day of President Kennedy's assassination on the 22nd November 1963 and was pregnant with her third son during her third year of her PhD.
Her work was extremely important in shaping the knowledge of Gambian history, particularly at a time when African perspectives were frequently overlooked in historical research with a more Eurocentric focus of research in the 1960's in the UK. The collaboration between SOAS, recognized for its expertise in African and Asian studies, and Westfield, her first university where she gained her qualifications in history, enriched her academic experience, providing access to diverse resources and strong mentorship. Her PhD and work within the field of history for future scholars studying colonialism, governance, and identity in West Africa.
One powerful quote from her thesis captures her drive and passion for pioneering the making and recording of African history: "It is my hope that I have succeeded in my attempt to show that Africans were living fully and participating in the making of their own history; that urbanized Africans, at least, were not unaware of the major issues of their day. In short, that the Liberated African community of Bathurst became a most articulate, and therefore dynamic, element in this nineteenth-century society." Dr F.K. O’Mahoney’s legacy did not end with her dissertation; she published several significant works, including "The Liberated Slaves" and "The Return to Africa and Creole Saga," which expanded on ideas she developed during her PhD and solidified her status as a leading voice in Gambian and African history.
After this Florence went on to have a career in education as a professor and was appointed a "Fulbright Professor of African history" in 1972 in Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She later returned to the Gambia continuing her work as a historian. For those intrigued by her impactful academic work, a copy of her original thesis is available online and in the SOAS Library's Special Collections. Below is an image of the college campus during her time at Westfield College, a place that shaped her transformative journey in academia.
Dr. Mahoney's life and work serve as an inspiring reminder of the powerful intersection between education and societal change, making her a relevant figure for students today who seek to understand and challenge historical narratives. She didn't just make history; she actively shaped it, taught it, and helped preserve it for future generations. As The Gambia's first female PhD holder, she opened doors for women in academia and ensured that Gambian perspectives are integral to the nation's narrative. Her contributions extend far beyond the classroom, encompassing the design of national symbols, the creation of museums, and the development of textbooks. For today's students, her story serves as a powerful reminder that history is not merely about the past; it is a vital tool for shaping the future.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to the Queen Mary Archives and SOAS Archives for their assistance in retrieving this information and for supporting this research.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Queen Mary Library Archives