It is believed that the forebears of many present-day Liberians migrated into the area from the north and east between the 12th and 17th centuries. None of the sub-Saharan empires of that period encompassed Liberia. Portuguese explorers visited Liberia's coast in 1461, and during the next 30 years, European merchants and coastal Africans engaged in trade.
The history of modern Liberia dates from 1816, when the American Colonization Society, a private U.S. organization, was given a charter by the U.S. Congress to send freed slaves to the west coast of Africa. The U.S. Government, under President James Monroe, provided funds and assisted in negotiations with native chiefs for the ceding of land for this purpose. The first settlers landed at the site of Monrovia in 1822. In 1838, the settlers united to form the Commonwealth of Liberia, under a governor appointed by the American Colonization Society.
In 1847, Liberia became Africa's first independent republic, with a constitution modeled after that of the United States. The United Kingdom officially recognized the public of Liberia in 1848, as did France in 1852. The United States granted recognition in 1862. The republic's first 100 years have been described as a "century of survival" because of attempts by neighboring colonial powers (France and Britain) to encroach on Liberia.
William R. Tolbert, Jr., 19th president of Liberia, acceded to office in July 1971, upon the death of his predecessor, William V.S. Tubman, who had served as president since 1944. Tolbert was overthrown in a coup led by Master Sergeant Samuel K. Doe on April 12, 1980, when the constitution was suspended and martial law imposed. The military government pledged to restore civilian rule in 1985. A new constitution was drafted and reviewed by an elected assembly; the ban on political activity was lifted and an Interim National Assembly appointed in July 1984; and four political parties were able to register and compete in presidential and legislative elections held on October 15, 1985. The new government and the new constitution were inaugurated on January 6, 1986, with Samuel K. Doe as president.
Current Political Conditions
Samuel K. Doe is president and commander in chief of the Liberian Armed Forces. He is also the standard bearer of the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), which holds an overwhelming majority of the country's legislative seats.
The October 15, 1985 elections--the first in Liberia's history based on universal suffrage--were extremely controversial. The government used its authority inter alia, to curtail political debate, to limit the number of political parties, and to detain opposition leaders and independent journalists and hold them incommunicado. Although voting on election day appeared generally free and open, with very high popular interest and participation, there were immediate and widespread allegations of illegal procedures in regard to counting the votes, which was not performed in accordance with the election laws. It was announced that Samuel Doe had won the presidency with 50.9% of the vote and that his party had won 80% of the legislative seats. Opposition parties denounced the results as fraudulent and refused to permit their successful legislative candidates to take their seats under party affiliation. There was a bloody, unsuccessful coup attempt on November 12, 1985, which left many dead and most major opposition politicians in prison without charges or trial.
Since the inauguration of the Second Republic on January 6, 1986, efforts at national political reconciliation have continued.
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, September 1987.