James Skivring Smith Jr. (1891–1950) was a

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

n politician who served as the 21st

vice president of Liberia The vice president of the Republic of Liberia is the second-highest executive official in Liberia, and one of only two elected executive offices along with the President of Liberia, president. The vice president is elected on the same ticket w ...

from 1930 to 1944 under President

Edwin Barclay Edwin James Barclay (5 January 1882 – 6 November 1955) was a Liberian politician, poet, and musician who served as the 18th president of Liberia from 1930 until 1944. He was a member of the True Whig political party, which dominated the polit ...

. Prior to this, Smith served as superintendent of

Grand Bassa County Grand Bassa is a county in the west-central portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has eight districts. Buchanan serves as the capital with th ...

from 1924 to 1927. Smith was elected as vice president in a special election held in 1930 following the resignation of President Charles D. B. King and Vice President Allen Yancy after mass protests by Liberians and international accusations of government-backed

forced labor Forced labour, or unfree labour, is any work relation, especially in modern or early modern history, in which people are employed against their will with the threat of destitution, detention, or violence, including death or other forms of ...

practices at the Firestone rubber plantation in Liberia. Smith was the son of

James Skivring Smith James Skivring Smith (February 26, 1825 – 1892) was a Liberian politician who served as the sixth president of Liberia from 1871 to 1872. Prior to this, he served as the eighth vice president of Liberia from 1870 to 1871 under President Edward ...

, who served as vice president and president of Liberia in the 19th century.

References

1891 births 1950 deaths Vice presidents of Liberia Americo-Liberian people People from Grand Bassa County Children of presidents Year of death uncertain Place of birth missing {{Liberia-politician-stub