List of governors of American Samoa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Governor of American Samoa
Territory seal
Incumbent Pula Nikolao Pula since January 3, 2025
Residence	Government House, Pago Pago
Appointer	General election
Term length	4 years, renewable once
Precursor	Malietoa
Formation	February 17, 1900
First holder	Benjamin Franklin Tilley as Commandant
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa
Website	Office of the Governor

American Samoa is a territory of the United States located in the Samoan Islands. Since 1900, it has had leaders known as governors. These governors are in charge of running the government in American Samoa.

For many years, from 1900 to 1978, the governors were chosen by the U.S. government. But since 1978, the people of American Samoa have been able to vote for their own governors. These elected governors serve for four years. They can also be re-elected for another term.

History of Governors in American Samoa

For a long time, the governors of American Samoa were chosen by the U.S. government. This changed over time. Local Samoans wanted to have a say in who led their islands.

The Push for Local Leadership

In the 1940s, the U.S. Department of the Interior sent many governors to American Samoa. Sometimes, four different governors were sent in just three years. This made local Samoans want to choose their own leaders. Some U.S. officials even thought that a local chief, Tuiasosopo, would be a good governor.

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 was a U.S. Army officer and had a law degree. His appointment showed local people that Samoans could lead just as well as anyone chosen by the U.S. government.

Electing Their Own Governors

Soon, local lawmakers like Governor Owen Aspinall and H. Rex Lee supported the idea of electing governors. However, Governor John Morse Haydon was against it. He was later replaced by a new governor.

The idea of an elected governor became more popular. A special group was formed to figure out how to make this happen. In 1977, a newspaper article mentioned that people started opposing appointed governors when Earl B. Ruth was chosen. He removed several Samoan officials from their jobs. Governor Ruth was later called back to Washington, D.C.

After saying no three times, the people of American Samoa finally voted yes in a 1976 vote. They overwhelmingly approved the idea of electing their own governor. The first governor chosen by the people was Peter Tali Coleman in that same year.

Te'o J. Fuavai was one of the first people to strongly support electing governors. He helped pass a resolution that asked the U.S. Department of the Interior to allow elections.

Appointed Governors (1900–1978)

Before 1978, governors were appointed by the U.S. government. Many of the early governors were naval officers.

Naval Administrators (1900–1951)

These are the naval officers who served as leaders of American Samoa.

Term	Portrait	Incumbent	Notes
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)

After the naval administrators, civilian governors were appointed.

Portrait	Governor		Took office	Left office	Party
		Phelps Phelps (1897–1981)	February 23, 1951	June 20, 1952	Republican
		John C. Elliott (1919–2001)	July 16, 1952	November 23, 1952	Democratic
		James Arthur Ewing (1916–1996)	November 28, 1952	March 4, 1953	Democratic
		Lawrence M. Judd (1887–1968)	March 4, 1953	August 5, 1953	Republican
		Richard Barrett Lowe (1902–1972)	August 5, 1953	October 15, 1956	Republican
		Peter Tali Coleman (1919–1997)	October 13, 1956	May 24, 1961	Republican
		H. Rex Lee (1910–2001)	May 24, 1961	July 31, 1967	Democratic
		Owen Aspinall (1927–1997)	August 1, 1967	July 31, 1969	Democratic
		John Morse Haydon (1920–1991)	August 1, 1969	October 14, 1974	Republican
		Frank Mockler (1909–1993) (acting)	October 14, 1974	February 6, 1975	Republican
		Earl B. Ruth (1916–1989)	February 6, 1975	September 30, 1976	Republican
		Frank Barnett (1933–2016)	October 1, 1976	May 27, 1977	Republican
		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. Here is a list of the elected governors.

S. No.	Portrait	Governor		Tenure	Party	Elected	Lieutenant Governor
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.