William Richard Tolbert

William Richard Tolbert Jr (May 13rd 1913 - April 12th 1980) was a bast politician , president of the Republic of Liberia of 1971 to its death in 1980. Freemason and Pasteur Baptist, he was also president of OAU between 1979 and 1980.

Career

After a career in the public office, he is elected appointed True Whig Party, the Libérien sole party, in 1943. He is the vice-president of William Tubman as from 1951, and this until the death of the latter, dates which he succeeds to him the head of the country.

With the beginning of the year 1970, it softens the mode of the True Whig. It authorizes for example in 1973 the creation of a Alliance Progressist of Liberia , the first opposition party of the history of the country. It must nevertheless face a dissatisfaction growing, mainly of with the social inequalities exist between the indigenous population, accounting for 95% of the population and the privileged elite Afro-américaine, made up of the descendants of the American slaves installed with the Liberia since 1821.

These social strains are particularly sharp as from 1979. In April, an immense demonstration traverses the streets of Monrovia in protest against the raising of prices of rice. President Tolbert makes give the troop. 70 demonstrators at least are killed or trampled. This incident puts fire at the powders. During all the year which will follow riots and demonstrations the country shakes. Tolbert in vain tries to restore the order while making stop the leaders of the opposition. But its attempts remain vain and the disorder grows.

Died

In the morning of the April 12th 1980, a group of soldiers goes to the residence of the President to claim the payment of their balances. At their head, the Staff sergeant Samuel Doe. Finding the house without guard and the president still with the bed, they take the party to massacre Tolbert, which immediately is broken in its room and is défenestré. The Doe sergeant becomes thus the 21° president of the Republic of Liberia.

See too

Presidents of Liberia

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