Daniel Edward Howard
A Liberian president who steered his nation through the global upheaval of World War I, maintaining its fragile sovereignty against immense pressure.
1861–1935 (age 74)·President of Liberia from 1912 to 1920·Birthday: August 4·The Gilded Age
Biography
Daniel Edward Howard assumed the presidency of Liberia in 1912, inheriting a republic that was financially strained and whose independence was often questioned by European colonial powers. His two-term administration was defined by the cataclysm of World War I. Liberia's declaration of war against Germany in 1917 was a strategic move to align with the United States and protect its status, but it came at a cost. The German bombardment of Monrovia in 1917 was a stark physical reminder of the nation's vulnerability. Howard navigated these diplomatic minefields while contending with severe economic hardship and the ongoing challenges of integrating indigenous populations into the Americo-Liberian political structure. His presidency was less about dramatic reform and more about survival, a holding action that preserved Liberia's nominal independence through one of the world's most turbulent periods.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Daniel was born in 1861, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daniel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1861
Daniel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1861Born
President: Abraham Lincoln
1866Started school
President: Andrew Johnson
1874Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1877Could drive
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1879Could vote
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1882Turned 21
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1891Turned 30
President: Benjamin Harrison
1901Turned 40
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 50
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1921Turned 60
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1931Turned 70
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1935Died at 74
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
Key Achievements
- Led Liberia through World War I, declaring war on Germany in 1917.
- Presided over Liberia during a significant expansion of Firestone Rubber Company's operations in the country.
- Served two consecutive terms as president, from 1912 to 1920.
- Faced and survived a direct military attack on the capital, Monrovia, by a German submarine in 1917.
Did You Know?
Prior to his presidency, Howard served as Secretary of State under his predecessor, Arthur Barclay.
His presidency saw the beginning of the controversial but economically crucial Firestone concession in 1926, negotiated just after his term ended.
Howard was a member of the True Whig Party, which ruled Liberia for over a century.
He was born in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, Liberia.
“Liberia must maintain its sovereignty and neutrality, but the world's war has come to our shores.”
