President Boakai Declares J.J. Roberts’ 217th Birth Anniversary a National Holiday

The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has by Proclamation declared Sunday, March 15, 2026, as the 217th Memorial Birth Anniversary of President Joseph Jenkins Roberts and is to be observed on Monday, March 16, 2026 as a Public Holiday throughout the Republic. 

The Presidential Proclamation orders all Government offices, public buildings, and business houses closed during the observance.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, the Proclamation is in consonance with an Act enacted by the Forty-Second National Legislature of Liberia declaring March 15th of each year as the birth anniversary of Joseph Jenkins Roberts, First President of the Republic of Liberia, a National Holiday as a mark of respect and reverence to his memory and untiring efforts in organizing the government of the Republic as well as negotiating and concluding treaties with foreign powers which gave recognition to the founding of the Liberian Nation. 

The Liberian leader, in his Proclamation, stresses that it is befitting that such honor accorded the memory of this distinguished Statesman serves as a challenge to all Liberians to aspire to higher and noble endeavors by emulating his courage, endurance, selflessness and commitment to the principles and ideals of democracy as portrayed as in his works and life as our first President.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.