Background
Joseph Jenkins Roberts was born on March 15, 1809 of free, colored parents at Petersburg, Virginia, United States having seven-eighths or more of white blood.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts was born on March 15, 1809 of free, colored parents at Petersburg, Virginia, United States having seven-eighths or more of white blood.
In 1829 Roberts migrated to Liberia with his widowed mother and younger brothers and there became a merchant.
The governor of the colony Maryland at that time, Thomas H. Buchanan, a white appointee of the American Colonization Society, was having trouble with the natives.
During the fighting with the Dey and Golah tribes, Roberts became one of the most efficient Buchanan's leaders.
Owing to his energetic work, most of the more threatening natives were reduced to submission.
After Buchanan died, he was appointed in January 1842 the first colored man to become governor of Liberia, at that time, however, comprising only the northern part of what is now its best territory.
Although the colony of Maryland was not formally a part of Liberia until 1857, its governor, John Russwurm, gave Roberts full cooperation.
Accordingly, they decided to lay import duties on goods brought to Liberia.
This precipitated grave international difficulties, for Liberia was not a sovereign country, nor was it, on the other hand, a recognized colony of the United States.
The British approached the United States on the subject but received a non-committal answer.
Since positive action seemed to be necessary, Roberts, after strengthening his treaties with the native tribes, visited the United States in 1844 in the hope of adjusting the matter. At such a difficult time, when the question of the annexation of Texas was forcing the slavery question to the front, the American government avoided taking any strong ground in defense of Liberia, and the American Colonization Society gave up all claims upon the colony. He returned, continued his purchase of lands from the chiefs, and in 1847 called a conference at which the new republic of Liberia was proclaimed. He was elected as the first president, and, relected in 1849, 1851, and 1853, he served his country carefully and wisely.
As soon as the new nation was proclaimed, he hurried to England. He signed a commercial treaty in 1849 with Great Britain, which recognized Liberia as an independent nation and gave Englishmen freedom of domicile. Before he left England, ten thousand dollars was raised by his English friends and given to him to buy the territory between Liberia and Sierra Leone, where the slave trade was flourishing.
Later he visited France and Belgium, where he was received by Leopold I, and also Holland and Prussia.
In 1852 he again visited France, where he was received by the prince president, afterward Napoleon III.
In Europe he received unusual attention.
These visits were largely instrumental in obtaining speedy recognition of Liberia.
After finishing his term he continued to be active in the interests of Liberia, even to the extent of taking the field against rebellious natives.
In 1856 he was elected first president of the new College of Liberia and continued in that office until his death.
In 1869 he visited the United States, where he addressed the annual meeting of the African Colonization Society at Washington on African Colonization (1869).
When there arose in Liberia the financial difficulties with regard to a British loan (see sketch of Edward James Roye) Liberia came near to revolution.
At the age of 63 and already broken in health by his long service, he was again elected to the presidency in 1871.
He was a man of intelligence and poise, slight and handsome, with olive skin and crisp hair. His unexpected success there was due largely to his own character and finesse.
He married at an early age in Virginia but lost his wife, and in 1829 he migrated to Liberia and there became a merchant.