Joseph Jenkins Roberts

Joseph Jenkins Roberts(1809-1974), came to Liberia from the United States of America in 1822.

Roberts was born a free man and was raised in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended the Norfolk Academy and Maury High School. He moved to Petersburg, Virginia, where he worked in his family's boating business. In 1829, his family moved to Liberia and established a trading store in Monrovia. In 1839, Roberts became Liberia's lieutenant governor and aftwerards, its governos. He is known as the father of Liberia and helped Liberia get their independence in 1847, and become the first president of Liberia.

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