5 Things to Know About Liberia Emerges After Trump Praised Liberian President’s “Good English”
- Liberia’s rich history and strong ties to the United States came under the spotlight after President Donald Trump praised President Joseph Boakai’s English
- From its founding by freed American slaves to its strikingly similar flag and US-influenced institutions, Liberia reflects a unique cultural blend
- Trump’s comment sparked conversation, but for many Liberians, it reinforced a legacy that goes deeper than accents
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When US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s command of English as “good English”, curiosity spiked about Liberia’s deep-rooted relationship with the United States.
Trump reportedly asked Boakai which school he attended, perhaps unaware that Liberia’s English-speaking tradition is no accident but a product of centuries-old connections.
Source: UGC
Here are five key things to know about Liberia’s unique legacy:
1. Liberia was founded by freed American slaves
In 1822, African-American freed slaves established Liberia as a settlement, and by 1847, the country declared its independence. Thousands of liberated Africans and Black Americans, rescued from slave ships, settled in Liberia during the colonial era.
• In 1862, US President Abraham Lincoln officially recognised Liberia’s independence.
• Liberian culture, architecture and institutions retained strong American influence throughout the colonial period.
• Of the country’s 26 presidents, ten were born in the US.
• Americo-Liberians, descendants of the original settlers, held political dominance for over a century until the 1980 coup that ousted President William Tolbert.
2. Monrovia: Capital named after a US president
Liberia’s capital city, Monrovia, was named in honour of America’s fifth President, James Monroe, who was a strong supporter of the American Colonization Society (ACS)—the organisation behind the resettlement of freed slaves.
• American-style buildings defined Monrovia’s early architecture.
• Streets in the capital often bear the names of colonial American figures.
• This heritage visually symbolises Liberia’s founding history and ties to the US.
3. Liberian flag resembles the American flag
A glance at Liberia’s flag reveals striking similarities to its American counterpart.
• The Liberian flag has 11 red-and-white stripes and a blue square bearing a single white star—representing Liberia’s status as Africa’s first independent republic.
• Seven Black women born in America designed the flag.
• In contrast, the US flag includes 13 stripes and 50 stars signifying its states.
4. Ex-president’s son plays for the US football team
Timothy Weah, the son of former Liberian president George Weah, plays professional football for Juventus and represents the US national team.
• Born in the US, Timothy launched his career with Paris St-Germain, later joining Celtic on loan.
• His father, George Weah, an iconic footballer, won the Ballon d’Or in 1995—the only African ever to win the award.
• George Weah served as Liberia’s president from 2018.
5. Liberia’s former President won Nobel Peace Prize
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf became Africa’s first elected female president in 2005, two years after the end of Liberia’s devastating civil war.
• She studied at Madison Business College and Harvard University.
• Her presidency lasted until 2018, during which she earned global acclaim for maintaining peace.
• In 2011, she won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karmān.
• Forbes ranked her among the world’s most powerful women in 2016.
Source: Getty Images
Ownership transparency will help Liberia
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Special Adviser to former President Muhammadu Buhari on Justice Reforms and Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Nigeria, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, commended the government of Liberia for its commitment to implementing beneficial ownership transparency.
In a statement delivered at a peer learning workshop on beneficial ownership transparency, held under the auspices of the OGP, the presidential aide—represented by the Communications Adviser to Nigeria’s OGP Secretariat, Uche Igwe—expressed confidence that the initiative would support Liberia in addressing the challenges of the resource curse.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
