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

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 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 U.S. ambassadors have died at their post serving in Liberia.

The U.S. embassy in Liberia is located in Monrovia.

Ambassadors +NameTitleAppointedPresented credentialsTerminated missionNotesAbraham HansonHanson was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 12, 1864.Commissioner/Consul GeneralJune 8, 1863February 23, 1864July 20, 1866Died at postJohn SeysSeys was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 21, 1867.Minister Resident/Consul GeneralOctober 8, 1866January 2, 1867June 11, 1870J. Milton TurnerMarch 1, 1871July 19, 1871May 7, 1878John H. SmytheMay 23, 1878August 19, 1878December 22, 1881Henry Highland GarnetGarnet 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.June 30, 1881December 22, 1881February 13, 1882Died at postJohn H. SmytheApril 12, 1882August 4, 1882December 14, 1885Moses A. HopkinsHopkins was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 13, 1886.September 11, 1885December 14, 1885August 3, 1886Died at postCharles H. J. TaylorTaylor was commissioned during a recess of the Senate. [Apparently not recommissioned.]March 11, 1887June 4, 1887c. September 22, 1887Ezekiel E. SmithApril 24, 1888July 21, 1888May 20, 1890Alexander ClarkAugust 16, 1890November 25, 1890May 31, 1891Died at postWilliam D. McCoyJanuary 11, 1892March 28, 1892May 15, 1893Died at postWilliam H. HeardFebruary 23, 1895May 6, 1895April 28, 1898Owen L. W. SmithFebruary 11, 1898On or shortly before May 11, 1898May 13, 1902John R. A. CrosslandJanuary 16, 1902May 13, 1902January 30, 1903Ernest LyonMarch 16, 1903July 27, 1903c. August 25, 1910William D. CrumJune 13, 1910August 25, 1910September 17, 1912George Washington Buckner – Political appointeeSeptember 10, 1913December 8, 1913April 15, 1915James L. CurtisCurtis was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1915. – Political appointeeOctober 25, 1915December 29, 1915October 20, 1917Joseph L. Johnson – Political appointeeAugust 27, 1918October 8, 1919February 13, 1922Solomon Porter Hood – Political appointeeOctober 26, 1921February 13, 1922January 9, 1926William T. FrancisFrancis was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on December 17, 1927. – Political appointeeJuly 9, 1927November 30, 1927July 15, 1929Died at postCharles E. MitchellMitchel was commissioned as Minister Resident/Consul General on September 10, 1930, and recommissioned after confirmation on December 16, 1930. – Political appointeeEnvoy Extraordinary and Minister PlenipotentiaryJanuary 20, 1931Did not present credentialsMarch 22, 1933Government of Liberia requested his recall on February 11, 1933Lester A. Walton – Political appointeeJuly 22, 1935October 2, 1935February 28, 1946Raphael O'Hara Lanier – Political appointeeFebruary 13, 1946July 1, 1946June 8, 1948Edward R. DudleyDudley was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on March 2, 1949. – Political appointeeAugust 11, 1948October 18, 1948June 15, 1953Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 18, 1949Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJesse D. Locker – Political appointeeJuly 22, 1953October 16, 1953April 10, 1955Died at postRichard Lee Jones – Political appointeeMay 31, 1955June 24, 1955July 24, 1959Elbert G. Mathews – Career FSOAugust 12, 1959September 30, 1959May 4, 1962Charles Edward Rhetts – Political appointeeJuly 5, 1962August 7, 1962September 30, 1964Ben H. Brown, Jr.Brown was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on January 18, 1965. – Career FSONovember 25, 1964January 6, 1965July 17, 1969Samuel Z. Westerfield, Jr. – Career FSOJuly 8, 1969December 9, 1969July 19, 1972Died at postMelvin L. ManfullManfull was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 8, 1973. – Career FSODecember 2, 1972December 22, 1972December 15, 1975W. Beverly Carter, Jr. – Career FSOApril 6, 1976April 23, 1976January 1, 1979Robert P. Smith – Career FSOJuly 2, 1979August 6, 1979January 15, 1981William Lacy Swing – Career FSOJuly 18, 1981August 11, 1981June 10, 1985Edward Joseph Perkins – Career FSOJuly 12, 1985August 28, 1985October 22, 1986James Keough Bishop – Career FSOMarch 27, 1987May 4, 1987March 31, 1990Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSOJune 22, 1990Did not present credentialsde 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.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 FSOJuly 7, 1999August 20, 1999July 23, 2002John William Blaney – Career FSOAugust 8, 2002October 3, 2002July 13, 2005Donald E. Booth – Career FSOJune 21, 2005August 9, 2005July 11, 2008Linda Thomas-Greenfield – Career FSOJuly 18, 2008August 27, 2008February 29, 2012Deborah R. Malac – Career FSOJuly 26, 2012September 20, 2012December 18, 2015Mark Boulware – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interimDecember 19, 2015April 18, 2016Christine A. Elder – Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMay 17, 2016June 23, 2016March 21, 2020Michael A. McCarthy – Career FSONovember 18, 2020January 22, 2021July 12, 2023Joel Maybury – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interimJuly 13, 2023August 11, 2023Catherine Rodriguez – Career FSOAugust 11, 2023August 2, 2024Mark Toner – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMay 2, 2024August 7, 2024August 4, 2025Joe Zadrozny – Career FSOChargé d'Affaires ad interimAugust 5, 2025Incumbent

Notes

See also Liberia – United States relations Foreign relations of Liberia Ambassadors of the United States

References United States Department of State: Background notes on Liberia

External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Liberia United States Department of State: Liberia United States Embassy in Monrovia