United States Ambassador to Liberia
Encyclopedia
This is a record of Ambassadors of the United States to Liberia
.
Liberia, as a nation, had its beginnings in 1821 when groups of free blacks from the United States emigrated from the U.S. and began establishing colonies on the coast under the direction of the American Colonization Society
. Between 1821 and 1847, by a combination of purchase and conquest, American Societies developed the colonies under the name “Liberia”, dominating the native inhabitants of the area. In 1847 the colony declared itself an independent nation. Because it was already established as a nation, Liberia avoided becoming a European colony during the great age of European colonies in Africa
during the latter half of the 19th century.
The United States recognized
Liberia as an independent state in 1862 and commissioned its first representative to Libera in 1863. The representative, Abraham Hanson, was appointed as Commissioner/Consul General. The status of the commissioner was later upgraded to Minister, and finally to full Ambassador in 1949. Relations between the United States and Liberia have been continuous since that time.
Eight U.S. ambassadors have died at their post serving in Liberia.
The U.S. Embassy in Liberia is located in Monrovia
.
Note: The office was upgraded to Minister Resident/Consul General beginning with the next envoy.
Note: The ministerial post was upgraded to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary after Mitchell (above) had taken his oath of office but before he proceeded to his post. He was recommissioned with the above title on January 20, 1931.
Note: From 1992–1999 the following officers served as chargés d’affaires ad interim: William H. Twaddell (September 1992–July 1995), William B. Milam (November 1995–January 1999), and Donald K. Petterson (February 1999–August 1999).
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
.
Liberia, as a nation, had its beginnings in 1821 when groups of free blacks from the United States emigrated from the U.S. and began establishing colonies on the coast under the direction of the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
. Between 1821 and 1847, by a combination of purchase and conquest, American Societies developed the colonies under the name “Liberia”, dominating the native inhabitants of the area. In 1847 the colony declared itself an independent nation. Because it was already established as a nation, Liberia avoided becoming a European colony during the great age of European colonies in Africa
Scramble for Africa
The Scramble for Africa, also known as the Race for Africa or Partition of Africa was a process of invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers during the New Imperialism period, between 1881 and World War I in 1914...
during the latter half of the 19th century.
The United States recognized
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
Liberia as an independent state in 1862 and commissioned its first representative to Libera in 1863. The representative, Abraham Hanson, was appointed as Commissioner/Consul General. The status of the commissioner was later upgraded to Minister, and finally to full Ambassador in 1949. Relations between the United States and Liberia have been continuous since that time.
Eight U.S. ambassadors have died at their post serving in Liberia.
The U.S. Embassy in Liberia is located in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
.
Ambassadors
- President Lincoln nominated John J. Henry of Delaware for the post on March 11, 1863 but Henry declined the appointment.
- Abraham Hanson
- Title: Commissioner/Consul General
- Appointed: June 8, 1863
- Presented credentials: February 23, 1864
- Terminated mission: Died at post on or before July 20, 1866
Note: The office was upgraded to Minister Resident/Consul General beginning with the next envoy.
- John Seys
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: October 8, 1866
- Presented credentials: January 2, 1867
- Terminated mission: Left post June 11, 1870
- President Johnson appointed J. R. Clay to the office in 1869 but the nomination was not confirmed by the Senate.
- President Grant appointed F. E. Dumas to the office on April 21, 1869 but Dumas declined the appointment.
- James W. Mason
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: March 29, 1870
- Presented credentials: Did not proceed to his post, did not present credentials
- J. Milton Turner
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: March 1, 1871
- Presented credentials: July 19, 1871
- Terminated mission: Left post May 7, 1878
- John H. Smyth
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: May 23, 1878
- Presented credentials: August 19, 1878
- Terminated mission: Relinquished charge to his successor, December 22, 1881
- Henry Highland GarnetHenry Highland GarnetHenry Highland Garnet was an African American abolitionist and orator. An advocate of militant abolitionism, Garnet was a prominent member of the abolition movement that led against moral suasion toward more political action. Renowned for his skills as a public speaker, he urged blacks to take...
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: June 30, 1881
- Presented credentials: December 22, 1881
- Terminated mission: Died at post February 13, 1882
- John H. Smyth
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: April 12, 1882
- Presented credentials: August 4, 1882
- Terminated mission: Presented recall, December 14, 1885, when his successor presented credentials
- Moses A. HopkinsMoses A. HopkinsMoses Aaron Hopkins was an African-American clergyman and educator who served as United States minister to Liberia in 1885-1886...
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: September 11, 1885
- Presented credentials: December 14, 1885
- Terminated mission: Died at post August 3, 1886
- Charles H. J. Taylor
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: March 11, 1887
- Presented credentials: June 4, 1887
- Terminated mission: Left post soon after September 22, 1887
- Ezekiel E. Smith
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: April 24, 1888
- Presented credentials: July 21, 1888
- Terminated mission: Left post May 20, 1890
- Alexander ClarkAlexander ClarkAlexander Clark was an African-American diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to Liberia. He was born in 1826 in Pennsylvania to parents who had been freed from slavery...
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: August 16, 1890
- Presented credentials: November 25, 1890
- Terminated mission: Died at post May 31, 1891
- William D. McCoy
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: January 11, 1892
- Presented credentials: March 28, 1892
- Terminated mission: Died at post May 15, 1893
- William H. HeardWilliam H. Heard (ambassador)William Henry Heard was a clergyman of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who served as United States Ambassador to Liberia from 1895 through 1898.Heard was born a slave in Elbert County, Georgia...
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: February 23, 1895
- Presented credentials: May 6, 1895
- Terminated mission: Presented recall, April 28, 1898
- Owen L. W. Smith
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: February 11, 1898
- Presented credentials: On or shortly before May 11, 1898
- Terminated mission: Presented recall, May 13, 1902
- John R. A. Crossland
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: January 16, 1902
- Presented credentials: May 13, 1902
- Terminated mission: Left post January 30, 1903
- Ernest LyonErnest LyonErnest Lyon was an African American minister, educator and diplomat.While there are few accounts that Lyon was born in Honduras, most accounts have him being born in in Belize City, British Honduras. Lyon immigrated to the United States in the 1870s. He received an A.B. degree from New Orleans...
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: March 16, 1903
- Presented credentials: July 27, 1903
- Terminated mission: Probably presented recall on or shortly before August 25, 1910
- William D. Crum
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: June 13, 1910
- Presented credentials: August 25, 1910
- Terminated mission: Left post September 17, 1912
- Fred R. Moore
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: March 1, 1913
- Presented credentials: Did not proceed to post, did not present credentials
- George Washington BucknerGeorge Washington BucknerGeorge Washington Buckner, , was an African American physician and diplomat. He was United States minister to Liberia from 1913 to 1915.-Life:...
– Political appointee- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: September 10, 1913
- Presented credentials: December 8, 1913
- Terminated mission: Left post April 15, 1915
- James L. Curtis – Political appointee
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: October 25, 1915
- Presented credentials: December 29, 1915
- Terminated mission: Left post October 20, 1917
- Joseph J. Johnson – Political appointee
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: August 27, 1918
- Presented credentials: October 8, 1919
- Terminated mission: Presented recall, February 13, 1922, the day on which his successor presented credentials
- Solomon Porter Hood – Political appointee
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: October 26, 1921
- Presented credentials: February 13, 1922
- Terminated mission: Left post January 9, 1926
- President Coolidge appointed James G. Carter (a career FSO) to the office on March 1, 1927, but Carter declined the appointment.
- William T. FrancisWilliam T. FrancisWilliam T. Francis was an African American lawyer, politician, and diplomat from Minnesota.Francis was originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, but relocated to Minnesota at an early age. He enrolled at William Mitchell College of Law in 1901 and earned his degree in 1904...
– Political appointee- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: July 9, 1927
- Presented credentials: November 30, 1927
- Terminated mission: Died at post July 15, 1929
- Charles E. Mitchell – Political appointee
- Title: Minister Resident/Consul General
- Appointed: September 10, 1930
Note: The ministerial post was upgraded to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary after Mitchell (above) had taken his oath of office but before he proceeded to his post. He was recommissioned with the above title on January 20, 1931.
- Charles E. Mitchell – Political appointee
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: January 20, 1931
- Presented credentials: Did not present credentials
- Terminated mission: Left post March 22, 1933, the government of Liberia having requested his recall on February 11, 1933.
- Lester A. WaltonLester WaltonLester Aglar Walton was an American diplomat to Liberia.Walton is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the first inter-collegiate Greek letter organization established for African Americans.-References:...
– Political appointee- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 22, 1935
- Presented credentials: October 2, 1935
- Terminated mission: Left post February 28, 1946
- Raphael O'Hara LanierRaphael LanierRaphael O'Hara Lanier was an American diplomat to Liberia.Lanier is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the first inter-collegiate Greek letter organization established for African Americans.-References:...
– Political appointee- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 13, 1946
- Presented credentials: July 1, 1946
- Terminated mission: Left post June 8, 1948
- Edward R. DudleyEdward R. DudleyEdward Richard Dudley was the first African-American to hold the rank of Ambassador of the United States, serving as Ambassador to Liberia from 1949 to 1953....
– Political appointee- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 11, 1948
- Presented credentials: October 18, 1948
- Terminated mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 18, 1949
- Edward R. DudleyEdward R. DudleyEdward Richard Dudley was the first African-American to hold the rank of Ambassador of the United States, serving as Ambassador to Liberia from 1949 to 1953....
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: March 18, 1949
- Presented credentials: May 6, 1949
- Terminated mission: Left post June 15, 1953
- Jesse D. Locker – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 22, 1953
- Presented credentials: October 16, 1953
- Terminated mission: Died at post April 10, 1955
- Richard Lee Jones – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 31, 1955
- Presented credentials: June 24, 1955
- Terminated mission: Left post July 24, 1959
- Elbert G. Mathews – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 12, 1959
- Presented credentials: September 30, 1959
- Terminated mission: Left post May 4, 1962
- Charles Edward Rhetts – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 5, 1962
- Presented credentials: August 7, 1962
- Terminated mission: Left Liberia, September 30, 1964
- Ben H. Brown, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 25, 1964
- Presented credentials: January 6, 1965
- Terminated mission: Left post July 17, 1969
- Samuel Z. Westerfield, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 8, 1969
- Presented credentials: December 9, 1969
- Terminated mission: Died at post July 19, 1972
- Melvin L. ManfullMelvin L. ManfullMelvin Lawrence Manfull served as the United States Ambassador to the Central African Republic from 1970 to December 1972. He then served as the United States Ambassador to Liberia until his resignation in 1975....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 2, 1972
- Presented credentials: December 22, 1972
- Terminated mission: Left post December 15, 1975
- W. Beverly Carter, Jr.W. Beverly Carter, Jr.W. Beverly Carter, Jr., aka Carter, William Beverly, Jr., was a US Ambassador to Tanzania and Liberia.- Biography :Carter, William Beverly, Jr. of Pennsylvania. Born in 1921 and died in 1982. He was 6 feet 7 inches tall....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 6, 1976
- Presented credentials: April 23, 1976
- Terminated mission: Left post January 1, 1979
- Robert P. SmithRobert P. SmithRobert P. Smith is a financial pioneer, philanthropist and author.Robert P. Smith of Turan Corporation, or Bob Smith, as he is known in among those who trade the debt of emerging market countries, is one of four people who "...significantly contributed to the birth of the debt market, and possibly...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 2, 1979
- Presented credentials: August 6, 1979
- Terminated mission: Left post January 15, 1981
- William Lacy SwingWilliam L. SwingWilliam Lacy Swing is a diplomat and former United States Ambassador to Republic of the Congo , Liberia , South Africa , Nigeria , Haiti , and Democratic Republic of the Congo .He has served as United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Western Sahara...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 18, 1981
- Presented credentials: August 11, 1981
- Terminated mission: Left post June 10, 1985
- Edward Joseph Perkins – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 12, 1985
- Presented credentials: August 28, 1985
- Terminated mission: Left post October 22, 1986
- James Keough Bishop – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: March 27, 1987
- Presented credentials: May 4, 1987
- Terminated mission: Left post March 31, 1990
- Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 22, 1990
- Presented credentials: Did not present credentials
- Terminated mission: Left post July 27, 1992
Note: From 1992–1999 the following officers served as chargés d’affaires ad interim: William H. Twaddell (September 1992–July 1995), William B. Milam (November 1995–January 1999), and Donald K. Petterson (February 1999–August 1999).
- Bismarck MyrickBismarck MyrickBismarck Myrick is a former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia and Lesotho . He is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and a decorated Vietnam War hero....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 7, 1999
- Presented credentials: August 20, 1999
- Terminated mission: Left post July 23, 2002
- John William BlaneyJohn W. BlaneyJohn William Blaney is a United States State Department official and former U.S. Ambassador to Liberia. Prior to joining the U.S Foreign Service, Blaney served as an officer in the U.S. Army.As of 2010 Blaney is a senior advisor at Deloitte Consulting....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 8, 2002
- Presented credentials: October 3, 2002
- Terminated mission: Left post July 13, 2005
- Donald E. BoothDonald E. BoothDonald E. Booth is an American diplomat, since September 2008 serving as the United States Ambassador to Zambia. From 2005 to 2008 he was the U.S...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 21, 2005
- Presented credentials: August 9, 2005
- Terminated mission: c. August 2008
- Linda Thomas-Greenfield – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 18, 2008
- Presented credentials: c. August 2008
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Liberia – United States relations
- Foreign relations of LiberiaForeign relations of LiberiaLiberian foreign relations were traditionally stable and cordial throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries. During the 1990s, Charles Taylor's presidency and the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars underscored Liberian relations with the Western world, the People's Republic of China, and its...
- Ambassadors of the United States