I read something on the internet recently suggesting some confusion about the number of Presidents in the history of Liberia. To address that apparent confusion I thought to list with dates those who have served as President since the Declaration of Independence in 1847. I include as well the breaks in constitutional succession. My hope is that this will clear the air as we stand on the verge of inaugurating the TWENTY-THIRD (23rd) President.

1, Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1848-1856)
2. Stephen Allen Benson (1856-1864
3, Daniel Bashiel Warner (1864-1868)
4. James Spriggs Payne (1868-1870)
5. Edward James Roye (1870-1871)
6. James Skirving Smith (1871-1872)

FIRST INTERREGNUM IN THE NATIONAL POLITY WITH THE OVERTHROW OF PRESIDENT ROYE.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts again served 1872-1876
James Spriggs Payne again served 1876-1878

7. Anthony William Gardner (1878-1883)
8. Alfred Francis Russell (1883-1884)
9. Hilary Richard Wright Johnson (1884-1892)
10, Joseph James Cheeseman (1892-1896)
11. William David Coleman (1896-1900)
12, Garretson Wilmot Gibson (1900-1904)
13. Arthur Barclay (1904-1912)
14. Daniel Edward Howard (1912-1920)
15. Charles Dunbar Burgess King (1920-1930)
16. Edwin James Barclay (1930-1944)
17. William V.S. Tubman (1944-1971)
18. William R. Tolbert, Jr. (1971-1980)

SECOND INTERREGNUM IN THE NATIONAL POLITY WITH THE OVERTHROW OF PRESIDENT TOLBERT BY THE MILITARY. 1980-1986

19. Samuel Kanyon Doe (1986-1990)

THIRD INTERREGNUM IN THE NATIONAL POLITY OCCASIONED BY CIVIL STRIFE, 1990-1997

20 Charles M.G. Taylor (1997-2003)
21 Moses Zeh Blah (2003)
22 Charles Gyude Bryant (2003-2005) -- A quasi-Constitutional successor given the arrangements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of Accra in 2003

PRESIDENT-ELECT ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF will therefore be the 23rd President of Liberia.

Thanks,
Elwood DUNN

About the author: Dr. D. Elwood Dunn is a Professor of Political Science`at the University of the South, Sewanee Tennessee. He can be reached at: edunn@sewanee.edu

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