-
The American Colonization Society Founded
The American Colonization Society, founded during 1816 to assist free black people in emigrating to Africa.
The motivation of the members of ACS ranged from genuine concern for their welfare, the eradication of slavery, and others just wanted to rid the country of free blacks but wanted to keep slavery intact. -
The Mayflower of Liberia
The Elizabeth, called the Mayflower of Liberia sets sail from New York City with the first eighty-six emigrants. -
ACS purchases Cape Mesuardo
With the armed assistance of the U.S. Navy, the agent for the ACS, Dr. Eli Ayres, purchases Cape Mesuardo. The Dey and Bassa peoples were forced to sell a 36 mile long and 3 mile wide strip of costal land, for trade goods, supplies, weapons and rum worth about $300. -
The First group of colonists
The first group of colonists landed at Cape Mesurado and founded Monrovia, named in honor of President James Monroe. They named their colony Liberia. -
Jehudi Ashmun ACS Agent and de facto Govenor
The ACS governed the colony through its agents at this time Jehudi Ashmun took over from Dr. Eli Ayres. -
The first uprising and the first laws
Beleiving that Jehudi Ashmun had unfairly allocating lots and rations a few settlers armed themselves and forced him to flee. The ACS intervined asked Ashmun to return. They set up a system of local administration and laws. -
Constitution and Government and the Colony is named
The uprising of the year before, set in place laws and an administration that became the constitution and the government. Sovereign power continued to rest with the ACS agent, but the colony was to operate under common law. Slavery and the slave trade were forbidden.
The settlement had to this point been called Christopolis. The name was changed to Monrovia to honor the American President, James Monroe. The colony is now formally called Liberia. -
The Maryland State Colonization Society Founded
The Maryland State Colonization Society was founded in 1827 and founded a colony in Cape Plamas, Liberia. Some of the "volunteers" were emancipated only if they agreed to emigrate. -
Independence
Colonists vote in favor of independence. More than 10,000 free blacks had emigrated to Liberia. -
Joseph Jenkins Roberts First President
Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809- 1876), the Virginia-born son of free blacks, was elected the first president of Liberia. Took office 3 January 1848, Left office 7 January 1856. He belonged to the Independent Party. Roberts spent the first years of his presidency attempting to attain recognition from European Countries and the United States. Great Britian is the first to recognize Liberia as an Independent Nation. -
Stephen Allen Benson, Second President
Stephen Allen Benson (1816- 1865), was elected the second President of Liberia, taking office 7 January 1856 and leaving office 4 January 1864. He was a member of the Independent party. Benson knew many native languages and sought collaboration with the natives in the area, though many of his policies remained largely unimplemented. Through treaties and purchases with local native leaders Liberia extended its borders to include 600 miles of coastline. -
Daniel Bashiel Warner Third President
Daniel Bashiel Warner (1815- 1880), was elected third president of Liberia. Taking office 4 January 1864 and left office 6 January 1868. He was with the Republican party. Warner like Benson before him was concerned about the native people in the area, particularly the natives of the interior. He wanted the natives to be brought into society with the hope they would become cooperating citizens. Warner sends Benjamin J. K. Anderson into the interior to sign a treaty with the king of the Musardo. -
James Spriggs Payne Fourth President
James Spriggs Payne (1819- 1882), fourth president of Liberia, taking office 6 January 1868 and leaving office 3 January 1870. He was a member of the Republican Party. During Payne’s presidency the ACS withdrew its support, after years of the American Civil War, conditions worsened as Liberia struggled to modernize its largely agricultural economy. The cost of imported goods was far greater than the income generated by the nation's exports of coffee, rice, palm oil, sugarcane, and timber. -
First expedition into the interior.
President Warner organized the first expedition into the interior, led by Benjamin J. K. Anderson. In 1868, Anderson journeyed into Liberia's interior to sign a treaty with the king of Musardo. He took careful notes describing the peoples, the customs, and the natural resources of those areas he passed through, writing a published report of his journey. Using the information from Anderson's report, the Liberian government moved to assert limited control over the inland region. -
Edward James Roye Fifth President
Edward James Roye (1815- 1872) the fifth president, taking office 3 January 1870 and leaving office 26 October 1871, not completing his two year term. He was a member of the True Whig Party. In an attempt to help his nation, Roye goes to England to borrow money. He accepted loans without consulting the legislature. The terms were extreme, Liberia received $90,000 and the bonds were for $400,000. Liberia was unable to pay its debts and it resulted in large amount of foreign interference. -
US Minister to Liberia
In 1864 the United States recognized Liberia as an Independent Nation,it takes another eight years before U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed J. Milton Turner as the U.S. minister to Liberia, making him the first African American to hold a position as a minister to another indepenednt nation. While serving there, Turner became convinced that African Americans should not return to Africa in great numbers. He did not believe they would be able to adapt to the climate. -
James Skivring Smith Sixth President
James Skivring Smith (1825- 1892), the sixth president, taking office 26 October 1871 and leaving office 1 January 1871. He was a member of the True Whig Party. Smith was the first African American to receive a medical degree from Berkshire Medical College in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Smith served as president for only two months after President Roye was forcibly removed from office. -
Joseph Jenkins Roberts Seventh President
Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809- 1876), The first and the seventh president of Liberia, taking office for the second time on 1 January 1872 and left office 3 January 1876. He was a member of the Republican Party. His second term was not an easy one and for much of it he was sick, his vice president taking the post until he was healty enough to resume his duties. The financial situation continued to spirial out of control. -
James Spriggs Payne Eighth President
James Spriggs Payne (1819- 1882), the 4th and 8th president of Liberia, taking office 3 January 1876 and leaving office 7 January 1878. He was a member of the Republican Party. While president for the second time the financial situation continued to get worse, Payne tried to increase the country's foreign trade. -
Anthony W. Gardner Ninth President
Anthony W. Gardner (1820- 1885), the ninth president of Liberia, taking office 7 January 1878 and left office 20 January 1883. He was a member of the True Whig Party. Gardiner called for increased trade with and investment from outside countries, improved public education, and closer relations with Liberia's native peoples. However, his policies were overshadowed by the ramifications of the European powers "scramble for Africa". -
Alfred Francis Russell Tenth President
Alfred Francis Russell (1817- 1884), the tenth president of Liberia, taking office 20 January 1883 and leaving office 7 January 1884. He was a member of the True Whig Party. Two months after Russell took office, in March 1883, the British Government annexed the Gallinas territory west of the Mano River and formally incorporated it into Sierra Leone. Russell, along with Gardiner, has been notably blamed for Liberia's losing much of its territory to the British -
Hilary R. W. Johnson Eleventh President
Hilary R. W. Johnson (1837- 1901), the 11th president of Liberia, taking office 7 January 1884 and leaving office 4 January 1892. He was a member of the True Whig Party. Under Johnson's presidency the Havelock Draft Convention, which finalized the boundary between Liberia and Sierra Leone, was ratified by both Liberia and Great Britain. Since then, the Mano river has formed the boundary between Liberia and Sierra Leone. -
Joseph James Cheeseman 12th President
Joseph James Cheeseman (1843- 1896),12th President of Liberia, taking office 4 January 1892 leaving office 12 November 1896. He was part of the True Whig Party. In 1892, the French forced Liberia to cede to the Ivory Coast the area beyond Cape Palmas which Liberia had long controlled. The boundaries of Liberia were beginning to be officially established from this year onwards.President Cheeseman died in office, and vice president William David Coleman served the remainder of the term. -
William D. Coleman 13th President
William D. Coleman (1842- 1908), the 13th President of Liberia, taking office 12 November 1896, and leaving office 11 December 1900. He was a member of the True Whig Party. His policies centered on three cornerstones: education, finances, and interior policy. Other decisions included increasing the national government's power over the interior sections of the country, reorganizing the customs service, and attempts to further advance resource extraction. -
Garretson W. Gibson 14th President
Garretson W. Gibson (1832- 1910), the 14th President of Liberia, taking office 11 December 1900 and leaving office 4 January 1904. He was a member of the True Whig Party. In 1903, the British forced a concession of Liberian territory to Sierra Leone, tension along that border remained high. -
Arthur Barclay 15th President
Arthur Barclay (1854- 1938) the last President born outside Liberia, the15th President of Liberia, taking office 4 January 1904 and leaving office 1 January 1912, a member of the True Whig Party. The Administration of President Arthur Barclay represents a political turning point in the history of Liberia. It brought to an end the conflict between mulattoes and black emigrants. During his Administration the Liberian Constitution was changed giving citizenship to the people of tribal origin. -
Daniel Edward Howard 16th President
Daniel Edward Howard (1861- 1935), the 16th President of Liberia, taking office 1 January 1912 and leaving office 5 January 1920, a member of the True Whig Party. In 1915, the coastal Kru people, who had long resisted Monrovia's authority, rose in rebellion, declaring their loyalty to Great Britain and demanding annexation by Sierra Leone. In response, the United States diverted the USS Chester to Africa on route home from Turkey to help quash the uprising. -
Charles D. B. King 17th President
Charles D. B. King (1875- 1961) the 17th President of Liberia, taking office 5 January 1920 leaving office 3 December 1930 a member of the True Whig Party. King is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most fraudulent election reported in history. He "won" the election with 234,000 votes, when only 15,000 people were registered to vote. -
Firestone Tire and Rubber Co
Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. created the world's largest plantation at Harbel, Liberia, and rubber became the backbone of the economy. Firestone had signed a 99-year concession agreement with the Liberian government to grow and export rubber -
Edwin Barclay 18th President
Edwin Barclay (1882- 1955) the 18th President, taking office 3 December 1930 leaving office 3 January 1944, a member of the True Whig Party. Barclay is credited with helping the country survive some of Liberia's greatest threats to its sovereignty in their history. These included threats by the League of Nations led by Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to recolonize the country unless reforms were made, and a coup attempt by the Firestone Company which owned much of the land. -
William Tubman 19th President
William Tubman (1895- 1971) "Father of modern Liberia", the 19th President of Liberia, taking office 3 January 1944 and leaving office 23 July 1971 a member of the True Whig Party. His presidency was marked by the influx of foreign investment in his country and its modernization. During his tenure, Liberia experienced a period of prosperity. He also led a policy of national unity in order to reduce conflict between his fellow Americo-Liberians and the indigenous Liberians. -
William R. Tolbert Jr. 20th President
William R. Tolbert Jr. (1913- 1980) the 20th President of Liberia, taking office 23 July 1971, removed from office by a military coup. and murdered 12 April 1980 a member of the True Whig Party. -
Mano River Union
Sierra Leone’s President Stevens engineered the creation of the Mano River Union, an economic federation of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Guinea joined in 1980. -
The Economic Community of West African States
ECOWAS Treaty was signed. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was formed in Nigeria with 15 members that included: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. -
Samuel Doe Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Council
Samuel Doe (1951- 1990) Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Council, took office 12 April 1980. He became president on 6 January 1986. He was part of a military coup that removed and killed the former president William R. Tolbert Jr. -
Coup d'état
In Liberia Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe (1951-1990) of the Krahn tribe staged a coup. Doe, a high school dropout, and a few soldiers killed Pres. William Tolbert Jr. and fatally shot a dozen of his ministers. It is thought that he was backed by the US and became one of Liberia’s most brutal dictators. -
Charles Taylor accused of embezzling
Charles Taylor fled Liberia after being accused of embezzling nearly $1 million US dollars. He was later detained in the United States on a Liberian arrest warrant -
Charles Taylor escapes from Plymouth County Jail
Charles Taylor escaped from a Plymouth County jail in Massachusetts while awaiting extradition to Liberia, where he was accused of embezzling money as an official in the dictatorship of Samuel Doe. He went to Libya received military training as a guest of Col. Moammar Khadafy. Taylor met Foday Sankoh, a corporal from Sierra Leone while training in Libya. -
Samuel Doe 21st President
Samuel Doe (1951- 1990) the 21st President of Liberia. taking office 6 January 1986 leaving office 9 September 1990, a member of the National Democratic Party. During his rule, Doe portrayed himself as an enlightened leader whose actions were intended to bring "relief to many". But in fact he was a dictator that was helped into office by the United States. -
National Patriotic Front
Charles Taylor, a member of the Gio tribe and a former cabinet minister under Samuel Doe, led a small group of fighters across the border from the Ivory Coast into Liberia. Within a few months he had looted and terrorized much of the countryside and reached the capital. Taylor led the NPFL or National Patriotic Front. -
National Patriotic Front closes in on presidential palace
As rebel forces closed in on presidential palace, Liberian President Samuel K. Doe refused to leave until the civil war was decided. Charles Taylor tried to take Monrovia in this year. -
Killings in Church
Soldiers opened fire on worshippers in church over 600 Gios and Manos were killed. -
Samuel K. Doe was killed
Pres. Samuel K. Doe was killed after being captured by rebels. Doe was tortured by rivals and bled to death after an ear was cut off. -
US Marines
US Marines were sent to Liberia to rescue American citizens. -
Dr. Amos Sawyer President of the Government of National Unity
Dr. Amos Sawyer (1945- ), President of the Government of National Unity, took office 22 November 1990 left office 7 March 1994 a member of the Liberian People's Party. the first President during the civil war. -
David D. Kpormakpor Chairman of the Council of State
David D. Kpormakpor (1935- 2010), Chairman of the Council of State, taking office 7 March 1994 and leaving office 1 September 1995, a member of the Independent Party. Kpormakpor was chosen as the civilian chair of the Council of State, which also included members representing warring factions in an attempt to end the war. -
Wilton G. S. Sankawulo Chairman of the Council of State
Wilton G. S. Sankawulo (1937- 2009), Chairman of the Council of State, taking office 1 September 1995 and leaving office 3 September 1996, a member of the Independent Party. The council of state consisted of a civilian chair and members Charles Taylor, United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy-K leader Alhaji Kromah, Liberia Peace Council leader George Boley, and two other civilians. -
Ruth Perry Chairwoman of the Council of State
Ruth Perry (1939- ) Chairwoman of the Council of State taking office 3 september 1996 and removed from office 2 August 1997, a member of the Independent Party. On August 17, 1996, the Economic Community of West African States representatives negotiated a cease-fire between Liberia's warring factions and announced that Perry would replace Wilton Sankawulo as chair of the Council of State in an interim government. -
Charles Taylor 22nd President
Charles Taylor (1948- ) the 22nd President, took office 2 August 1997 and left office 11 August 2003 a member of the National Patriotic Party. He famously campaigned on the slogan "He killed my ma, he killed my pa, but I will vote for him." The election was overseen by a UN peace keeping force, Taylor won by a landslide, garnering 75 percent of the vote. -
Gyude Bryant Chairman of the National Transitional Government
Gyude Bryant (1949- ) the Chairman of the National Transitional Government, taking office 14 October 2003 and left office 16 January 2006, a member of the Liberian Action Party. Bryant was previously a businessman and was chosen as chairman because he was seen as politically neutral and therefore acceptable to each of the warring factions -
Civil War is over
The three former warring factions jointly announced they had disarmed and disbanded their forces. After 14 years of fighting 1.2 million people were forced flee their homes. 700,000 sought shelter in Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and other West African countries. Leaving almost 250,000 people dead. -
Post war presidential elections
Presidential elections are held. 22 candidates included an international soccer star, two former warlords and a Harvard-educated woman. Election officials using battery-powered lanterns counted ballots through the night from the country's first postwar polls. Ex-soccer star George Weah led 21 rivals. -
Possible Run-off
Soccer star George Weah took an early lead as results trickled in, but he seemed likely to face a run-off with former Finance Minister Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf -
Run-off Elections Held
Liberia held run-off elections held between George Weah and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. -
Counting Votes
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, edged closer to becoming Africa's first elected female leader, while her soccer star opponent alleged fraud in the presidential runoff. With 80% of votes counted, Johnson-Sirleaf had 58% and her opponent, George Weah, had 42% -
President Declared
Officials declared Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf the winner of Liberia's first postwar balloting, making her Africa's first elected female president. -
Firestone in trouble
Firestone has come under fire from human rights and environmental groups for its alleged use of child labor and slave-like working conditions at a plantation in Liberia. -
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 24th President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (1938- ) the 24th President, took office 16 January 2006, a member of the Unity Party. The first woman to be president of an African nation. Was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
