# William Tolbert

_President of Liberia 1971–1980 (1913–1980)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/william-tolbert
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> William Richard Tolbert Jr. was a Liberian politician who served as the 20th president of Liberia from 1971 until his assassination in 1980.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 13 May 1913 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Bensonville ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P19))
- **Died:** 12 April 1980 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P570))
- **Place of death:** Monrovia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Liberia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P106))
- **Political party:** True Whig Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P102))
- **Education:** University of Liberia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P69))
- **Spouse:** Victoria Anna David Tolbert ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P26))
- **Positions held:** chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity (12 July 1979 – 12 April 1980); President of Liberia (23 July 1971 – 12 April 1980); Vice President of Liberia (1 January 1952 – 23 July 1971) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P39))
- **Awards:** Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany; Order of the British Empire ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212#P166))

## Questions

**When was William Tolbert born?**  
William Tolbert was born on 13 May 1913 in Bensonville.

**What positions has William Tolbert held?**  
Positions held by William Tolbert include: chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity (1979–1980); President of Liberia (1971–1980); Vice President of Liberia (1952–1971).

**Where did William Tolbert study?**  
William Tolbert was educated at University of Liberia.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): William Tolbert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tolbert) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q336212](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q336212) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: William Tolbert (cropped).jpg by Kightlinger, Jack E., Photographer (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Tolbert_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article William Tolbert, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: William Tolbert (cropped).jpg — Kightlinger, Jack E., Photographer, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"William Tolbert". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/william-tolbert. Retrieved 4 November 2026.