LiberiaData

Liberia’s strategic importance became starkly apparent during the Second World War. Rubber, Liberia’s dominant export, produced primarily on the Firestone plantation in Margibi County, was a critical war material. President William V.S. Tubman, who took office in 1944, aligned Liberia firmly with the Allied cause.

American Investment in Infrastructure

In return for strategic cooperation, the United States invested substantially in Liberian infrastructure. Roberts International Airport was constructed in Margibi County, and the Free Port of Monrovia in Montserrado County was developed with American support. President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Monrovia in 1943 — the first sitting U.S. president to visit sub Saharan Africa.

Tubman’s Open Door Policy

William V.S. Tubman became one of the most consequential figures in Liberian history, serving as president for 27 years — from 1944 until his death in 1971. His Open Door Policy actively courted foreign investment in Liberia’s iron ore (principally in Nimba County and Bong County), timber, and rubber industries. By the 1960s, Liberia had one of the fastest,growing economies on the African continent. Track current economic data on the LiberiaData Dashboard.

Unification and Integration Policy

Tubman’s Unification and Integration Policy sought to reduce the political and social distance between the Americo, Liberian elite and the indigenous majority. Under his leadership, the franchise was extended to indigenous Liberians and more indigenous people entered government positions. These changes were meaningful, but they did not dismantle the fundamental structure of Americo, Liberian political dominance.

Sources:
Wikipedia — Liberia [2];
ICTJ Brief History of Liberia [10];
IMANI House [16a]