Presidents of Liberia
Explore Liberia’s presidents and transitional heads of state from the founding of the Republic to the present day.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts
1848–1856; 1872–1876
Liberia’s founding president served the Republic’s first presidency and later returned for a second period in office.
Stephen Allen Benson
1856–1864
Liberia’s second president succeeded Joseph Jenkins Roberts during the early consolidation of the Republic.
Daniel Bashiel Warner
1864–1868
Warner led Liberia during the nineteenth-century development of its young republican institutions.
James Spriggs Payne
1868–1870; 1876–1878
Payne served two nonconsecutive presidential terms and remains an important figure in early Liberian political history.
Edward James Roye
1870–1871
Roye’s presidency ended amid the political and financial crisis surrounding a controversial foreign loan.
James Skivring Smith
1871–1872
As vice president, Smith assumed the presidency after Edward Roye’s removal and completed the remaining period.
Anthony William Gardiner
1878–1883
Gardiner served three terms before resigning during his final term in office.
Alfred Francis Russell
1883–1884
Vice President Russell succeeded Anthony Gardiner and completed the presidential term.
Hilary R. W. Johnson
1884–1892
Johnson’s administration formed part of the long period of True Whig political dominance.
Joseph James Cheeseman
1892–1896
Cheeseman served through two presidential terms during the late nineteenth century.
William D. Coleman
1896–1900
Coleman succeeded to the presidency and later won election before resigning from office.
Garretson W. Gibson
1900–1904
Gibson succeeded William Coleman and continued as president into the opening years of the twentieth century.
Arthur Barclay
1904–1912
Barclay led Liberia during a period of administrative development and continuing territorial pressures.
Daniel Edward Howard
1912–1920
Howard’s presidency spanned the First World War and a consequential period in Liberia’s foreign relations.
Charles D. B. King
1920–1930
King’s decade in office ended during the international forced-labor controversy.
Edwin Barclay
1930–1944
Barclay assumed office during a national crisis and later guided Liberia through much of the Second World War era.
William V. S. Tubman
1944–1971
Tubman won seven terms and became Liberia’s longest-serving president before dying in office.
William R. Tolbert Jr.
1971–1980
Tolbert succeeded William Tubman, later won election, and was killed during the 1980 military coup.
Samuel K. Doe
1980–1990
Doe took power in the 1980 coup and became president under the Second Republic in 1986.
Amos C. Sawyer
1990–1994
Sawyer chaired the Interim Government during the first civil war and is listed separately from elected presidencies.
David D. Kpormakpor
1994–1995
Kpormakpor chaired the transitional Council of State during Liberia’s civil-war peace process.
Wilton G. S. Sankawulo
1995–1996
Sankawulo served as chairman of the Council of State during the negotiated transition.
Ruth Sando Fahnbulleh Perry
1996–1997
Perry chaired the Council of State and helped guide Liberia toward the 1997 election.
Charles Ghankay Taylor
1997–2003
Taylor won the 1997 presidential election and resigned in 2003 amid renewed conflict.
Moses Zeh Blah
2003
Vice President Blah briefly assumed the presidency following Charles Taylor’s resignation.
Charles Gyude Bryant
2003–2006
Bryant led the National Transitional Government between the peace agreement and the elected administration of 2006.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
2006–2018
Sirleaf served two elected terms and became Africa’s first democratically elected female head of state.
George Manneh Weah
2018–2024
Weah served one elected term following Liberia’s first peaceful democratic transfer in decades.
Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.
2024–present
Boakai assumed office on 22 January 2024 after winning the 2023 presidential runoff election.