Sarah Culberson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Princess Sarah
Lady of Bumpe
Born	Esther Elizabeth Kposowa Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.
Full name Sarah Jane Culberson
House	Kposowa
Father	Prince Joseph Konia Kposowa
Occupation	actress public speaker educator writer

Princess Sarah Jane Culberson, also known as the Lady of Bumpe, is an American actress, speaker, teacher, and writer. She was born Princess Esther Elizabeth Kposowa. She is a princess of the Mende people from the Bumpe–Gao Chiefdom in Sierra Leone, West Africa.

Princess Sarah is a co-founder of Sierra Leone Rising. This is a non-profit group that helps improve schools and life for people in Sierra Leone. In 2009, she wrote a book about her life called A Princess Found: An American Family, an African Chiefdom, and the Daughter Who Connected Them All. Disney is thinking about making her book into a movie.

Her Life Story

Sarah Culberson was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, in the United States. Her birth mother was American, and her birth father was from Sierra Leone. When she was a baby, she was placed in foster care. Later, she was adopted by Jim and Judy Culberson. They were a kind couple from West Virginia. Her adoptive father taught about the brain at West Virginia University. Her adoptive mother taught special education at a school.

Sarah grew up not knowing her birth parents. She was raised in the United Methodist church. In high school, she played basketball and was student body president. She also became the homecoming queen at University High School. She earned a scholarship to study theater at West Virginia University and finished her degree in 1998. Later, she got a master's degree in fine arts from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

Finding Her Birth Family

In 2004, Sarah hired someone to help her find her birth parents. She learned that her birth mother, Penny, had passed away from cancer twelve years earlier. She also found out that her father, Prince Joseph Konia Kposowa, was part of a royal family. He belonged to the Mende people in Sierra Leone.

Her grandfather, Francis Kposowa, was once the main leader, called the Paramount Chief, of Bumpe in Sierra Leone. Because Sarah is the granddaughter of a Paramount Chief, the Mende people consider her a princess. She wrote a letter to her father, and they reconnected. Her father explained that he was a college student when she was born. He and her mother decided they were too young to raise a child then. When Sarah visited Bumpe, the people there gave her the title Bumpenya. This means Lady of Bumpe in the Mende language.

In August 2024, Princess Sarah attended the wedding of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett in Geiranger, Norway.

Her Work and Career

In 2001, Sarah Culberson moved to Los Angeles to become an actress. She has appeared on several TV shows. These include Strong Medicine, In Case of Emergency, All of Us, Boston Legal, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She also had a part in the movie American Dreamz.

From 2005 to 2007, Sarah was a dancer with CONTRA-TIEMPO. This is a dance group in Los Angeles that performs Salsa, hip-hop, and contemporary dance. She is now on the board of directors for the dance company. She also still performs with them sometimes.

In 2006, Sarah helped start Sierra Leone Rising. This group, first called Kposowa Foundation, helps improve education and rebuild schools in the Bumpe Chiefdom. They work to make life better for people in Sierra Leone after the civil war.

She used to be the director of service learning at the Oakwood School in Los Angeles. In this role, she planned a school trip to Sierra Leone to help the community. Before that, she worked at the Brentwood School, where she created a dance program.

In 2009, she co-wrote her life story, A Princess Found: An American Family, an African Chiefdom, and the Daughter Who Connected Them All.

In 2019, Disney decided to make a movie based on Sarah's book and story. A team of all-Black women writers and directors is expected to create the film. Stephanie Allain is the producer, April Quioh is the scriptwriter, and Sarah Culberson is an executive producer and consultant.

In 2022, Sarah Culberson received the Impact Award at Bounce TV's 30th Trumpet Awards. In 2023, she joined a discussion panel with Princess Keisha Omilana. They talked about important topics like diversity, how different races are shown, African royalty, and the role of royal families today.

Film and TV Appearances

Film Roles

Television Roles