Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara served as the leader of the People's Progressive Party from 1959 until 1994 when he was overthrown. He is responsible for changing the name of the party from the Protectorate People's Party to the People's Progressive Party. Before serving as president for the Gambia he was elected into the legislature in 1960. During this time, he also served as the minister of education. He later became the prime minister of the Gambia in 1962 and was knighted in 1966, following independence. Upon the creation of a new constitution in 1970, Jawara became the president and served until the 1994 Gambian coup d'état.