List of governors of American Samoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Governor of American Samoa |
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![]() Territory seal
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Residence | Government House, Pago Pago |
Appointer | General election |
Term length | 4 years,
renewable once
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Precursor | Malietoa |
Formation | February 17, 1900 |
First holder | Benjamin Franklin Tilley as Commandant |
Succession | Line of succession |
Deputy | Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa |
Website | Office of the Governor |
The Governor is the leader of American Samoa, a territory of the United States. This article lists all the governors who have served American Samoa since 1900.
For many years, from 1900 to 1978, governors were chosen by the U.S. federal government. However, since 1978, the people of American Samoa have been able to elect their own governors. These elected governors serve for four years at a time.
Contents
History of American Samoa's Governors
How Governors Were Chosen
For a long time, the United States Department of the Interior chose the governors for American Samoa. Sometimes, they would send many different governors in just a few years. This made the local Samoans want to choose their own leaders.
In the 1940s, some Navy and Interior governors thought that High Orator Chief Tuiasosopo would be a good leader. Then, in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Peter Tali Coleman as Governor. He was the first person of Samoan descent to hold this important job. Coleman had been a U.S. Army officer and studied law.
After Coleman became governor, people in American Samoa realized that local leaders could do the job just as well as those sent by the federal government. Soon, local lawmakers like Governor Owen Aspinall and H. Rex Lee supported the idea of electing governors.
The Push for Elected Governors
Not everyone agreed with the idea of elected governors at first. Governor John Morse Haydon was against it. However, after some discussions, the Department of the Interior decided to replace him.
The idea of having an elected governor became stronger. A special group was formed to figure out how to make this happen.
In 1977, an article in the New York Times talked about how people started to oppose appointed governors. This opposition grew after Earl B. Ruth was appointed. He removed several Samoan officials from their jobs. Governor Ruth was later called back to Washington, D.C.
American Samoans had voted on the idea of electing their own governor three times before, and each time they said no. But in a referendum in 1976, they finally voted yes by a large amount! This allowed them to elect their own leader. The first governor chosen by the people was Peter Tali Coleman that same year.
Te'o J. Fuavai was one of the first people to strongly support the idea of electing governors in American Samoa. He helped create a resolution that asked the Department of the Interior to allow elections.
Appointed Governors (1900–1978)
These governors were officers from the U.S. Navy.
Term | Portrait | Incumbent | Notes |
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February 17, 1900 – November 27, 1901 | ![]() |
Benjamin Franklin Tilley, Commandant | April 17, 1900: Treaty of Cession of Tutuila |
November 27, 1901 – December 16, 1902 | ![]() |
Uriel Sebree, Commandant | |
December 16, 1902 – May 5, 1903 | ![]() |
Henry Minett, acting Commandant | |
May 5, 1903 – January 30, 1905 | ![]() |
Edmund Beardsley Underwood, Commandant/Governor | July 16, 1904: Treaty of Cession of Manu'a |
January 30, 1905 – May 21, 1908 | ![]() |
Charles Brainard Taylor Moore, Governor | |
May 21, 1908 – November 10, 1910 | ![]() |
John Frederick Parker, Governor | |
November 10, 1910 – March 14, 1913 | ![]() |
William Michael Crose, Governor | July 17, 1911: U.S. Naval Station Tutuila renamed American Samoa |
March 14 – July 14, 1913 | ![]() |
Nathan Post, acting Governor | First term |
July 14, 1913 – October 2, 1914 | ![]() |
Clark Daniel Stearns, Governor | |
October 2, 1914 – December 6, 1914 | ![]() |
Nathan Post, acting Governor | Second term |
December 6, 1914 – March 1, 1915 | ![]() |
Charles Armijo Woodruff, acting Governor | |
March 1, 1915 – June 10, 1919 | ![]() |
John Martin Poyer, Governor | |
June 10, 1919 – November 3, 1920 | ![]() |
Warren Terhune, Governor | |
November 11, 1920 – March 1, 1922 | ![]() |
Waldo A. Evans, Governor | |
March 1, 1922 – September 4, 1923 | ![]() |
Edwin Taylor Pollock, Governor | |
September 4, 1923 – March 17, 1925 | ![]() |
Edward Stanley Kellogg, Governor | |
March 17, 1925 – September 9, 1927 | ![]() |
Henry Francis Bryan, Governor | |
September 9, 1927 – August 2, 1929 | ![]() |
Stephen Victor Graham, Governor | February 20, 1929: U.S. Congress recognized the cession of Tutuila and Manu'a by their chiefs, with retrospective to 16 July 1904. |
August 2, 1929 – March 24, 1931 | Gatewood Lincoln, Governor | First term | |
March 24 – April 22, 1931 | ![]() |
James Sutherland Spore, acting Governor | |
April 22 – July 17, 1931 | ![]() |
Arthur Emerson, acting Governor | |
July 17, 1931 – May 12, 1932 | Gatewood Lincoln, Governor | Second term | |
May 12, 1932 – April 10, 1934 | ![]() |
George Landenberger, Governor | |
April 10–17, 1934 | ![]() |
Thomas C. Latimore, acting Governor | |
April 17, 1934 – January 15, 1936 | ![]() |
Otto Dowling, Governor | |
January 15–20, 1936 | ![]() |
Thomas Benjamin Fitzpatrick, acting Governor | |
January 20, 1936 – June 3, 1938 | ![]() |
MacGillivray Milne, Governor | |
June 26, 1938 – July 30, 1940 | ![]() |
Edward Hanson, Governor | |
July 30 – August 8, 1940 | ![]() |
Jesse Wallace, acting Governor | |
August 8, 1940 – June 5, 1942 | ![]() |
Laurence Wild, Governor | Henry Louis Larsen served as Military Governor from January 17 to April 25, 1942 |
June 5, 1942 – February 8, 1944 | ![]() |
John Gould Moyer, Governor | |
February 8, 1944 – January 27, 1945 | ![]() |
Allen Hobbs, Governor | |
January 27 – September 3, 1945 | ![]() |
Ralph Hungerford, Governor | |
September 3–10, 1945 | ![]() |
Samuel Canan, acting Governor | |
September 10, 1945 – April 22, 1947 | ![]() |
Harold Houser, Governor | |
April 22, 1947 – June 15, 1949 | ![]() |
Vernon Huber, Governor | |
July 7, 1949 – February 23, 1951 | ![]() |
Thomas Darden, Governor |
Civilian Governors (1951–1978)
These governors were civilians, not military officers.
Portrait | Governor | Took office | Left office | Party | |
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Phelps Phelps (1897–1981) |
February 23, 1951 | June 20, 1952 | Republican | |
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John C. Elliott (1919–2001) |
July 16, 1952 | November 23, 1952 | Democratic | |
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James Arthur Ewing (1916–1996) |
November 28, 1952 | March 4, 1953 | Democratic | |
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Lawrence M. Judd (1887–1968) |
March 4, 1953 | August 5, 1953 | Republican | |
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Richard Barrett Lowe (1902–1972) |
August 5, 1953 | October 15, 1956 | Republican | |
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Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997) |
October 13, 1956 | May 24, 1961 | Republican | |
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H. Rex Lee (1910–2001) |
May 24, 1961 | July 31, 1967 | Democratic | |
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Owen Aspinall (1927–1997) |
August 1, 1967 | July 31, 1969 | Democratic | |
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John Morse Haydon (1920–1991) |
August 1, 1969 | October 14, 1974 | Republican | |
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Frank Mockler (1909–1993) (acting) |
October 14, 1974 | February 6, 1975 | Republican | |
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Earl B. Ruth (1916–1989) |
February 6, 1975 | September 30, 1976 | Republican | |
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Frank Barnett (1933–2016) |
October 1, 1976 | May 27, 1977 | Republican | |
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H. Rex Lee (1910–2001) |
May 28, 1977 | January 3, 1978 | Democratic |
Elected Governors (1978–Present)
Since 1978, the people of American Samoa have voted for their governors.
S. No. | Portrait | Governor | Tenure | Party | Elected | Lieutenant Governor | ||
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1 | ![]() |
Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997) |
January 3, 1978 – January 3, 1985 |
Republican | 1977 1980 |
Tufele Liamatua | ||
2 | ![]() |
A. P. Lutali (1919–2002) |
January 3, 1985 – January 2, 1989 |
Democratic | 1984 | Eni Faleomavaega | ||
3 | ![]() |
Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997) |
January 2, 1989 – January 3, 1993 |
Republican | 1988 | Galea'i Peni Poumele | ||
Gaioi Tufele Galeai | ||||||||
4 | ![]() |
A. P. Lutali (1919–2002) |
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997 |
Democratic | 1992 | Tauese Sunia | ||
5 | ![]() |
Tauese Sunia (1941–2003) |
January 3, 1997 – March 26, 2003 |
Democratic | 1996 2000 |
Togiola Tulafono | ||
– | ![]() |
Togiola Tulafono (born 1947) |
March 26, 2003 – April 7, 2003 |
Democratic | 2004 2008 |
Himself | ||
6 | April 7, 2003 – January 3, 2013 |
Faoa Aitofele Sunia | ||||||
7 | ![]() |
Lolo Matalasi Moliga (born 1947) |
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021 |
Independent | 2012 2016 |
Lemanu Peleti Mauga | ||
Democratic | ||||||||
8 | ![]() |
Lemanu Peleti Mauga (born 1960) |
January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 |
Democratic | 2020 | Eleasalo Ale | ||
9 | ![]() |
Pula Nikolao Pula (born 1955) |
January 3, 2025 – present |
Republican | 2024 | Pulu Ae Ae Jr. |
Succession
See also
- List of American Samoa Fono