America's African Colony: Formation of Liberia

Liberia tends to be forgotten in the grand scheme of colonial expeditions into Africa during the 19th century. However, the now nation state, proved to be the only colony of not a European Power. But of the United States of America. In today's video, we will be looking at the formation of this colony.

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The American Colonization Society was set up in December 1816, by Just elected president James Monroe, future president Andrew Jackson, Politician Henry Clay among others. The main goal was an establishment of a colony in Africa for free black American to go to. Some of the founding members, viewed this as vital towards protecting slave property, while others and a good portion of the public supporters were abolitionists and never had much support in the deep south.

It raised about $50,000 in donations and membership fees from sympathizers during its first ten years, but its biggest early source of income was the US government: where in 1819, Congress authorized a payment of $100,000 to the ACS.

In 1820 the ACS sent its first colonists to West Africa, consisting of 91 people (88 black, 3 white) on board a ship called the Elizabeth. They initially based themselves in the British colony of Sierra Leone before searching the coast for a place to establish their own settlement. Where more then a quarter of the colonists died of yellow fever within three weeks. An agent of the ACS, arranged to purchase an area of land called Cape Mesurado from the Gola people, for the sum of $300.

In January 1822 the first settlers arrived at the settlement. They initially called their settlement Perseverance, but in 1824 they renamed it Monrovia in honor of President James Monroe, who was a supporter of the ACS. The settlement had its problems, including several conflicts with the local inhabitants who resisted the expansion of the colony, but they managed to thrive, which was aided by the immigration of over 2,500 African-Americans over the next 20 years.

The success of Monrovia inspired the creation of several more American colonies in the region. Such as the Maryland Colonization Society in 1831, funded by the state's taxpayers. Maryland appropriated $260,000 to be spent over 26 years to support the MSCS. Laws were also passed discriminating against 'free persons of color' in Maryland in order to pressure them into emigrating.