Front: Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809-1876), President of Liberia (1848-1856, 1872-1876)

Roberts was born in Virginia in the United States as a free man of mixed African and European ancestry. He moved with his family to Liberia in 1829. Roberts became Liberia's lieutenant governor and later, its governor 1841-1848. He helped Liberia win its independence in 1847, and became its first president in 1848.

Back: National Bank building

Front: Edward James Roye (1815-1872), President of Liberia 1870-1871

Roye was born in Ohio in the United States and attended Ohio University. He emigrated to Liberia in 1846 and set up business as a merchant. In 1849, Roye became active in Liberian politics. He served as speaker of the Liberian house of representatives, chief justice of the supreme court, and in 1870 was elected president of Liberia. Roye took office in the midst of a fiscal crisis and was ousted by his opponents in 1871.

Back: Farmer harvesting rice

Front: Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809-1876), President of Liberia (1848-1856, 1872-1876)

Back: Worker tapping rubber tree

Front: William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman, Jr. (1895-1971), President of Liberia 1944-1971

Tubman was born in Liberia. He was elected President of Liberia in 1944 and held that office for 27 years, longer than any other presidents.

Back: Market scene

Front: Samuel Kanyon Doe (1950-1990), President of Liberia 1984-1990

Master Sergeant Doe, a member of the indigenous Krahn ethnic group, seized power in a military coup in 1980. He declared himself president of the Republic in 1984, and was killed by a splinter group from the National Patriotic Front of Liberia in 1990.

Back: Palm nut harvesting