William D. Coleman

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William D. Coleman
13th President of Liberia
In office November 12, 1896 – December 11, 1900
Vice President	J. J. Ross
Preceded by	Joseph James Cheeseman
Succeeded by	Garretson W. Gibson
Born	1842 Kentucky, United States
Died	1908 Kentucky, United States
Political party	True Whig

William David Coleman (1842 – 1908) was the 13th President of Liberia, serving from 1896 to 1900.

He was born in Fayette County, Kentucky and emigrated to Liberia at the age of 11. He was trained as a carpenter, but became a successful trader before entering politics. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1877, becoming Speaker of the House. He was elected Senator for Montserrado County in 1879 and served in that position until he was elected Vice President under Joseph James Cheeseman on the True Whig ticket in 1892. They were re-elected twice, and Coleman became president when President Cheeseman died in office.

He was elected twice in his own right and centered his policies on education and improving the financial state of the country. He re-opened Liberia College with the assistance of Dr Edmond Wilmot Blyden.

Coleman also took measures that aimed to improve the country’s financial situation: he reorganised the customs department and installed bonded warehouses at the six ports of entry where since 1864 foreigners (traders) were allowed to undertake economic activities.

The third cornerstone of his Administration was his Interior Policy. Coleman wanted to increase the government’s presence in the interior since he was convinced that the future of Liberia depended on the exploitation of the resources of the interior. He established influence of the Liberian Government in the hinterland north-west of the Saint Paul River.

However, a growing number of Americo-Liberian fellow citizens opposed his interior policy. Differences sharpened over the years and an increasing number of once political friends sided with his opponents and put pressure on him to resign. Finally, President Coleman stepped down in December 1900 and thus became Liberia’s second president who resigned, President Anthony Gardiner having been the first.

Gardiner’s successor was Alfred Russell who, like Coleman, hailed from Kentucky, USA. This coincidence is not a historical detail. It is very important and significant since it is illustrative of the fact that the Americo-Liberian political class consisted of a very small group of people.

After his resignation William Coleman did not give up his political ambitions. In 1901, 1903 and 1905 he ran for the Presidency, on a ticket of the People’s Party, but was defeated each time. He died in his home-town of Clay-Ashland in 1908.

v • d • e Vice-Presidents of Liberia Stephen Allen Benson • Beverley Yates • James Priest • James S. Smith • Alfred F. Russell • John Tyler • William D. Coleman • J. J. Ross • J. J. Dossen • John Breckinridge • Samuel Alfred Ross • Henry Too Wesley • Allen Yancy • Clarence Lorenzo Simpson • William R. Tolbert, Jr. • James E. Greene • Bennie Dee Warner • Harry Moniba • Enoch Dogolea • Moses Blah • Joseph Boakai

v • d • e Presidents of Liberia Joseph J. Roberts • Stephen Allen Benson • Daniel Bashiel Warner • James Spriggs Payne • Edward J. Roye • James Skivring Smith • Joseph J. Roberts • James Spriggs Payne • Anthony W. Gardiner • Alfred Francis Russell • Hilary R. W. Johnson • Joseph James Cheeseman • William D. Coleman • Garretson W. Gibson • Arthur Barclay • Daniel Edward Howard • Charles D. B. King • Edwin Barclay • William Tubman • William R. Tolbert, Jr. • Samuel Doe • Amos Sawyer† • David D. Kpormakpor† • Wilton G. S. Sankawulo† • Ruth Perry† • Charles G. Taylor • Moses Blah • Gyude Bryant† • Ellen Johnson Sirleaf  † denotes non-presidential head of state

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