Joseph Jenkins Roberts Totally Explained

Everything about Joseph Jenkins Roberts totally explained

Joseph Jenkins Roberts (March 15, 1809 – February 24, 1876) was the first (1848 – 1856) and seventh (1872 – 1876) president of Liberia. Roberts was born in Norfolk, Virginia and emigrated to Liberia in 1829. He opened a trading store in Monrovia, and later engaged in politics. When Liberia became independent in 1847 he became the first president and served until 1856. In 1872 he'd serve again as Liberia's seventh president.

Early life

Roberts was born in Norfolk, Virginia as the eldest of seven children to couple of mixed ancestry, James and Amelia Roberts. His mother Amelia had gained freedom from slavery and had married his father James Roberts, a free negro. James Roberts owned a boating business on the James River and had, by the time of his death, acquired substantial wealth for an African American of his day. Roberts had only one African great grandparent, and he was of more than one half European ancestry. As the Liberian historian Abayomi Karnga noted in 1926, "he wasn't really black; he was an octoroon and could have easily passed for a white man". As a boy he began to work in his family business on a flatboat that transported goods from Petersburg to Norfolk on the James River. After the death of his father his family moved to Petersburg, Virginia. He continued to work in his family's business, but also served as an apprentice in a barber shop. The owner of the barber shop, William Colson was also a minister of the gospel and one of Virginia's best educated black residents. He gave Roberts access to his private library, which was a source of much of his early education.

Emigrating to Liberia

After hearing of the plans of the American Colonization Society to colonize the African coast at Cape Mesurado near today's Monrovia the Roberts family decided to join an expedition. The reasons for this decision are unknown, but undoubtedly the restrictions of the Black Code in Virginia played an important part. Another probable reason for the decision to emigrate were the religious beliefs of the Roberts family and the desire to spread Christianity and civilization among the indigenous people of Africa. On February 9, 1829 they set off for Africa on the Harriet. On the same ship was James Spriggs Payne, who would later become Liberia's fourth president.
In Monrovia the family established a business with the help of William Colson in Petersburg. The company exported palm products, camwood and ivory to the United States and traded imported American goods at the company store in Monrovia. In 1835 Colson would also emigrate to Liberia, but would shortly die after his arrival. The business quickly expanded into coastal trade and the Roberts family became a successful member of the local establishment. During this time his brother John Wright Roberts entered the ministry of the Liberia Methodist Church and later became a bishop. The youngest son of the family, Henry Roberts studied medicine at the Berkshire Medical School in Massachusetts and went back to Liberia to work as a physician.
In 1833 Roberts became high sheriff of the colony. One of his responsibilities was the organization of expeditions of the settler militia to the interior to collect taxes from the indigenous peoples and to put down rebellions. In 1839 he was appointed vice governor by the American Colonization Society. Two years later, after the death of governor Thomas Buchanan he was appointed as the first nonwhite governor of Liberia. In 1846 Roberts asked the legislature to declare the independence of Liberia, but also to maintain the cooperation with the American Colonization Society. A referendum was called which was in favor of independence. On July 26, 1847 he declared Liberia independent. He won the first election on October 5, 1847 and was sworn into office as Liberia's first president on January 3, 1848.

First presidency

During his first term in office Roberts tried to obtain diplomatic recognition of Liberia by the European powers and the United States. In 1848 he traveled to Europe to meet Queen Victoria and other heads of state. Great Britain was the first country to recognize Liberia, while France followed. The following year the German cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck, as well as Portugal, Brazil, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire. He failed to obtain recognition by the United States during his presidency, a non-recognition that lasted until 1862. During his presidency he also expanded the borders of Liberia along the coast and made first attempts to integrate the indigenous people of the hinterland of Monrovia into the Republic. Roberts was reelected three times and served for eight years until he lost the election in 1855 to his vice president Stephen Allen Benson. Roberts has been described as a talented leader with diplomatic skills. His leadership was instrumental in giving Liberia independence and sovereignty. Later in his career his diplomatic skills helped him to deal effectively with the indigenous people and to maneuver in the complex field of international law and relations.

Second presidency

After his presidency he served for fifteen years as a major general in the Liberian army as well as a diplomatic representative in France and Great Britain. He was also involved in the foundation of Liberia College, whose first president he became in 1862. He frequently traveled to the United States to raise funds for the college. Until his death he held a professorship in jurisprudence and international law. In 1871 president Edward James Roye was deposed by elements loyal to the Republican Party on the grounds that he was planning to cancel the upcoming elections. Roberts, one of the Republican Party's leaders, won the ensuing presidential election and thus returned to office in 1872. He served for two terms until 1876. Roberts died on February 24, 1876, less than two months after his second term had ended. In his testament he left $10,000 and his estate to the education system of Liberia.

Legacy

Liberia's main airport, Roberts International Airport, the town of Robertsport and Roberts Street in Monrovia are named in honor of Roberts. His face is also depicted on the Liberian ten dollar bill introduced in 1997 and the old five dollar bill in circulation between 1989 and 1991. His birthday, March 15, was a national holiday in Liberia until 1980Further Information

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