President of Liberia

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Liberia

President
- Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Vice-President
- Joseph Boakai
Cabinet
Legislature
- Senate
- House of Representatives
Supreme Court
Elections: 2005
Politicians
Political Parties
Counties
Districts
Clans
UNMIL
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Foreign relations

Other countries · Atlas
Politics Portal
view • talk • edit

The following is a list of Presidents of the Republic of Liberia, made up of the 24 heads of state in the history of Liberia. This list includes only presidents sworn in after the declaration of independence of Liberia on July 26, 1847. From 1980 to 2006, the presidency was interrupted three times due to a coup d'etat, the Liberian Civil War, and the Second Liberian Civil War. The heads of state of Liberia during these periods are shown on a separate list below the list of presidents. Samuel Doe served as both Head of People's Redemption Council and President of Liberia; he is therefore placed on both lists in his respective roles. Furthermore, both Joseph Jenkins Roberts and James Spriggs-Payne served non-consecutive terms and are each counted twice in the list. Because of this, the list below contains 24 presidencies, but only 22 people.

The colors indicate the political party affiliation of each President.

1 List of Presidents of Liberia
2 Interim and Non-Presidential Heads of State
3 Notes
4 See also
5 References

List of Presidents of Liberia

# President Took office Left office Party Vice President(s) 1 Joseph Jenkins Roberts January 3, 1848 January 7, 1856none
(Republican policies) Stephen Allen Benson2 Stephen Allen Benson January 7, 1856 January 4, 1864none
(Republican policies) Beverley Yates3 Daniel Bashiel Warner January 4, 1864 January 6, 1868 Republican Party James M. Priest4 James Spriggs-Payne January 6, 1868 January 3, 1870 Republican PartyVacant 5 Edward James Roye January 3, 1870 October 26, 1871[A] True Whig Party James Skivring Smith6 James Skivring Smith [1]November 4, 1871 January 1, 1872 True Whig Party Anthony W. Gardiner7 Joseph Jenkins Roberts(2nd time) March 1, 1872 January 3, 1876 Republican Party Anthony W. Gardiner8 James Spriggs-Payne(2nd time) January 3, 1876 January 7, 1878 Republican PartyVacant 9 Anthony W. Gardiner January 7, 1878 January 20, 1883[R] True Whig Party Alfred Francis Russell10 Alfred F. Russell January 20, 1883 January 7, 1884 True Whig PartyJohn Tyler 11 Hilary R. W. Johnson January 7, 1884 January 4, 1892 True Whig PartyVacant 12 Joseph James Cheeseman January 4, 1892 November 12, 1896[D] True Whig Party William D. Coleman13 William D. Coleman November 12, 1896 December 11, 1900[R] True Whig Party J. J. Ross14 Garretson W. Gibson December 11, 1900 January 4, 1904 True Whig PartyVacant 15 Arthur Barclay January 4, 1904 January 1, 1912 True Whig Party J. J. Dossen16 Daniel E. Howard January 1, 1912 January 5, 1920 True Whig PartySamuel George Harmon 17 Charles D.B. King January 5, 1920 December 3, 1930[R] True Whig PartySamuel Alfred Ross(1920-1924)
Henry Too Wesley18 Edwin Barclay December 3, 1930 January 3, 1944 True Whig PartyJames Skivring Smith 19 William V.S. Tubman January 3, 1944 July 23, 1971[D] True Whig Party Clarence Simpson
William Richard Tolbert, Jr.20 William R. Tolbert, Jr.July 23, 1971 April 12, 1980[A] True Whig Party James Edward Greene
Bennie Dee Warner21 Samuel K. Doe [2]January 6, 1986 September 9, 1990[A] National Democratic Party of Liberia Henry Fumba Moniba22 Charles G. Taylor August 2, 1997 August 11, 2003[R] National Patriotic Party Enoch Dogolea
Moses Blah23 Moses Blah August 11, 2003 October 14, 2003[R] National Patriotic PartyVacant 24 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf January 16, 2006 present Unity Party Joseph Nyumah Boakai

Left office early:

[A] Assassinated in a coup d'etat.

[D] Died in office of natural causes.

[R] Resigned.

Interim and Non-Presidential Heads of State

President Position Took office Left office Party Samuel K. DoeHead of People's Redemption Council April 12, 1980 January 6, 1986 National Democratic Party of Liberia Dr. Amos SawyerPresident of the Interim Government of National Unity November 22, 1990 March 7, 1994 Liberian People's Party David D. Kpormakpor Chairman of the Council of State March 7, 1994 September 1, 1995None Wilton G. S. SankawuloChairman of the Council of State September 1, 1995 September 3, 1996None Ruth PerryChairwoman of the Council of State September 3, 1996 August 27, 1997None Gyude Bryant Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia October 14, 2003 January 16, 2006 Liberian Action Party

Notes

^ There has been some confusion as to whether Smith actually served as President of Liberia following the removal of Edward James Roye from office. However, evidence does show that Smith did in fact serve as president from the time of Roye's departure until the inauguration of Joseph Jenkins Roberts.[1]
^ Despite the fact that Doe assumed power immediately after the execution of William R. Tolbert, Jr. on April 12, 1980, he was not in fact sworn in as president until January 6, 1986.[2]