U. S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Welcomes Liberian President William
V.S. Tubman to the White House,
William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman, an Americo-Liberian,
served 27 years as President of Liberia, longer than any president before or
after him. Tubman, who is regarded by
some in his country as the "father of modern Liberia," was born on
November 29, 1895 in Harper, Liberia.
His father, Rev. Alexander Tubman, was Speaker of the Liberian House of
Tubman studied law under private tutors, passed the Liberian
bar exam, and became a lawyer in 1917. After
serving as a county recorder, tax collector, and teacher he entered politics
and in 1923 at the age of 28 was elected to the Liberian Senate representing
Maryland County. In the Senate Tubman
became noted for advocating the extension of constitutional rights to
indigenous Liberians. In 1937 he was
appointed to the Liberian Supreme Court.
Tubman ran for President of Liberia and easily won the contest on May 4,
Once in office Tubman promoted the National Unification
Policy which called for the reduction of distinctions between the politically
and economically dominant Americo-Liberian minority and the indigenous people
who comprised the vast majority of the nation's inhabitants. He also extended voting rights to all
Claiming that Liberia never received the "benefits of
colonization" Tubman encouraged foreign aid and foreign investment in his
nation. He also encouraged foreign
businesses to locate in Liberia. This
policy had considerable success. Between
1944 and 1970 the value of foreign investments increased by over 200%. By the latter date Liberia had received more
than one billion dollars in U.S. investments.
Liberia also received significant investment from Sweden and the largest
investment from Germany at that time.
Tubman expanded the port of Monrovia and initiated the "flag of
convenience" program where ships of various nations registered in Liberia
because of its lower fees. The revenue
from this program allowed Liberia to end its national budget deficits for the
first time in its history.
As Liberia became more prosperous, Tubman began a
modernization program, paving the streets of Monrovia, the capital, building
roads and railroads into the interior, establishing hospitals, and creating the
first national sanitation system. He
also expanded the University of Liberia, established teacher training
institutes to train instructors for the growing number of secondary and primary
schools, and built agricultural extension stations to assist farmers in raising
crops and livestock.
Tubman's policies, including his unification efforts,
sparked opposition and in 1955 he was the target of an assassination attempt by
political rivals. In response Tubman
imposed harsh measures and began a period of near dictatorial rule.
William S.V. Tubman remained President of Liberia until his
death in a London clinic on July 23, 1971.