List of ambassadors of the United States to Liberia

This is a record of ambassadors of the United States to Liberia.

Ambassador of the United States to Liberia
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Michael A. McCarthy
since January 22, 2021
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderAbraham Hanson
as Commissioner/Consul General
FormationJune 8, 1863
WebsiteU.S. Embassy – Monrovia

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 Liberia 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 US ambassadors have died at their post serving in Liberia.

The US embassy in Liberia is located in Monrovia.

Ambassadors
    Name Title Appointed Presented Credentials Terminated Mission Notes
    Abraham Hanson[1] Commissioner/Consul General June 8, 1863 February 23, 1864 July 20, 1866 Died at post
    John Seys[2] Minister Resident/Consul General October 8, 1866 January 2, 1867 June 11, 1870
    J. Milton Turner March 1, 1871 July 19, 1871 May 7, 1878
    John H. Smythe May 23, 1878 August 19, 1878 December 22, 1881
    Henry Highland Garnet[3] June 30, 1881 December 22, 1881 February 13, 1882 Died at post
    John H. Smythe April 12, 1882 August 4, 1882 December 14, 1885
    Moses A. Hopkins[4] September 11, 1885 December 14, 1885 August 3, 1886 Died at post
    Charles H. J. Taylor[5] March 11, 1887 June 4, 1887 c. September 22, 1887
    Ezekiel E. Smith April 24, 1888 July 21, 1888 May 20, 1890
    Alexander Clark August 16, 1890 November 25, 1890 May 31, 1891 Died at post
    William D. McCoy January 11, 1892 March 28, 1892 May 15, 1893 Died at post
    William H. Heard February 23, 1895 May 6, 1895 April 28, 1898
    Owen L. W. Smith February 11, 1898 On or shortly before May 11, 1898 May 13, 1902
    John R. A. Crossland January 16, 1902 May 13, 1902 January 30, 1903
    Ernest Lyon March 16, 1903 July 27, 1903 c. August 25, 1910
    William D. Crum June 13, 1910 August 25, 1910 September 17, 1912
    George Washington Buckner – Political appointee September 10, 1913 December 8, 1913 April 15, 1915
    James L. Curtis[6] – Political appointee October 25, 1915 December 29, 1915 October 20, 1917
    Joseph L. Johnson – Political appointee August 27, 1918 October 8, 1919 February 13, 1922
    Solomon Porter Hood – Political appointee October 26, 1921 February 13, 1922 January 9, 1926
    William T. Francis[7] – Political appointee July 9, 1927 November 30, 1927 July 15, 1929 Died at post
    Charles E. Mitchell[8] – Political appointee Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary January 20, 1931 Did not present credentials March 22, 1933 Government of Liberia requested his recall on February 11, 1933
    Lester A. Walton – Political appointee July 22, 1935 October 2, 1935 February 28, 1946
    Raphael O'Hara Lanier – Political appointee February 13, 1946 July 1, 1946 June 8, 1948
    Edward R. Dudley[9] – Political appointee August 11, 1948 October 18, 1948 June 15, 1953 Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 18, 1949
    Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    Jesse D. Locker – Political appointee July 22, 1953 October 16, 1953 Died at post April 10, 1955
    Richard Lee Jones – Political appointee May 31, 1955 June 24, 1955 July 24, 1959
    Elbert G. Mathews – Career FSO August 12, 1959 September 30, 1959 May 4, 1962
    Charles Edward Rhetts – Political appointee July 5, 1962 August 7, 1962 September 30, 1964
    Ben H. Brown, Jr.[10] – Career FSO November 25, 1964 January 6, 1965 July 17, 1969
    Samuel Z. Westerfield, Jr. – Career FSO July 8, 1969 December 9, 1969 July 19, 1972 Died at post
    Melvin L. Manfull[11] – Career FSO December 2, 1972 December 22, 1972 December 15, 1975
    W. Beverly Carter, Jr. – Career FSO April 6, 1976 April 23, 1976 January 1, 1979
    Robert P. Smith – Career FSO July 2, 1979 August 6, 1979 January 15, 1981
    William Lacy Swing – Career FSO July 18, 1981 August 11, 1981 June 10, 1985
    Edward Joseph Perkins – Career FSO July 12, 1985 August 28, 1985 October 22, 1986
    James Keough Bishop – Career FSO March 27, 1987 May 4, 1987 March 31, 1990
    Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSO June 22, 1990 Did not present credentials[12] July 27, 1992 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 Myrick – Career FSO July 7, 1999 August 20, 1999 July 23, 2002
    John William Blaney – Career FSO August 8, 2002 October 3, 2002 July 13, 2005
    Donald E. Booth – Career FSO June 21, 2005 August 9, 2005 c. August 2008
    Linda Thomas-Greenfield – Career FSO July 18, 2008 c. August 2008 April 2, 2012
    Deborah R. Malac – Career FSO July 26, 2012 September 20, 2012 December 18, 2015
    Christine A. Elder – Career FSO May 17, 2016 June 23, 2016 March 21, 2020
    Michael A. McCarthy – Career FSO November 18, 2020 January 22, 2021 Incumbent


    Notes
    1. Hanson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 12, 1864.
    2. Seys was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 21, 1867.
    3. Garnet was commissioned during a recess of the Senate. His date of commissioning is not recorded. The commission was enclosed with an instruction of July 19, 1881. He was recommissioned after confirmation on October 26, 1881.
    4. Hopkins was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 13, 1886.
    5. Taylor was commissioned during a recess of the Senate. [Apparently not recommissioned.]
    6. Curtis was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1915.
    7. Francis was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1927.
    8. Mitchel was commissioned as Minister Resident/Consul General on September 10, 1930, and recommissioned after confirmation on December 16, 1930.
    9. Dudley was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on March 2, 1949.
    10. Brown was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 18, 1965.
    11. Manfull was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 8, 1973.
    12. de Vos arrived at his post on June 28, 1990. He had not presented credentials before the overthrow of the government of Liberia on September 11, 1990.

    See also

    References
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