James T. Phillips Jr.

James T. Phillips Jr.
Minister of Finance
In office
1976–1979
PresidentWilliam Tolbert
Preceded byEdwin Williams
Succeeded byEllen Johnson Sirleaf
Personal details
Died22 April 1980

James T. Phillips Jr. (died 22 April 1980) was a Liberian politician. Phillips served as secretary for agriculture and commerce in the national government 1968-1971.[1] Following the split of the government ministerial portfolio into two with the arrival of William R. Tolbert Jr. to the presidency, Phillips served as minister of agriculture between 1971 and 1976.[1] He then served as minister of finance between 1976 and 1979.[1]

Philipps was one of the more reform-oriented ministers in the Tolbert government.[2] He resigned from his ministerial post over a controversy on disappeared funds allocated to a floating intended to be used for the 1979 Organization of African Unity summit.[3][4] Shortly thereafter, in the wake of the military coup that brought down the Tolbert government, Phillips and 12 other officials of the former government were executed by soldiers at the beach behind the Barclay Training Center on 22 April 1980.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ a b c Elwood D. Dunn; Amos J. Beyan; Carl Patrick Burrowes (20 December 2000). Historical Dictionary of Liberia. Scarecrow Press. pp. 325–326, 338. ISBN 978-1-4616-5931-0.
  2. ^ Colin M. Waugh (13 October 2011). Charles Taylor and Liberia: Ambition and Atrocity in Africa's Lone Star State. Zed Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84813-850-6.
  3. ^ a b Washington Post. Liberian Soldiers Taunt, Shoot 13 Former Leaders
  4. ^ a b The Perspective. THE CASE OF NGAFUAN AND SAVING PRESIDENT SIRLEAF'S HEAD FROM IMMINENT DECAPITATION
  5. ^ Frontpage Africa. Liberia: South Beach Still Haunted by Execution of 13 Former Officials of Tolbert Government