Rawlings, Jerry John (1947-2020), was the head of Ghana for all but two years from 1979 to 2001. Rawlings seized control of the government in a military coup in 1979. He was elected president of Ghana in multiparty elections held in 1992 and was reelected in 1996. Ghana’s Constitution prevented him from seeking another term in the 2000 presidential election. Rawlings became known for his efforts to end government corruption and to improve the Ghanaian economy.
Rawlings was born in Accra, Ghana’s capital, on June 22, 1947. He joined the air force in 1967 and rose through the ranks. He was promoted to flight lieutenant in 1978. Rawlings tried to overthrow Ghana’s military government on May 15, 1979. The coup failed, and Rawlings was jailed. But he gained nationwide attention for the speeches against corruption that he made during his trial. On June 4, Rawlings was freed from prison as he and fellow officers staged a successful coup. As head of the government, Rawlings allowed scheduled elections to go ahead as planned. In September 1979, he turned control over to the elected civilian government. Angered by what he saw as continued corruption, however, Rawlings retook control of the government on Dec. 31, 1981. Rawlings died on Nov. 12, 2020.
