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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:00:27 GMT -5
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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:01:53 GMT -5
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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:03:18 GMT -5
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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:04:54 GMT -5
The roots of the colonization movement date back to various plans first proposed in the eighteenth century. From the start, colonization of free blacks in Africa was an issue on which both whites and blacks were divided. Some blacks supported emigration because they thought that black Americans would never receive justice in the United States. Others believed African-Americans should remain in the United States to fight against slavery and for full legal rights as American citizens. Some whites saw colonization as a way of ridding the nation of blacks, while others believed black Americans would be happier in Africa, where they could live free of racial discrimination. Still others believed black American colonists could play a central role in Christianizing and civilizing Africa. The American Colonization Society (ACS) was formed in 1817 to send free African-Americans to Africa as an alternative to emancipation in the United States. In 1822, the society established on the west coast of Africa a colony that in 1847 became the independent nation of Liberia. By 1867, the society had sent more than 13,000 emigrants. Beginning in the 1830s, the society was harshly attacked by abolitionists, who tried to discredit colonization as a slaveholder's scheme. And, after the Civil War, when many blacks wanted to go to Liberia, financial support for colonization had waned. During its later years the society focused on educational and missionary efforts in Liberia rather than emigration. In 1913 and at its dissolution in 1964, the society donated its records to the Library of Congress. The material contains a wealth of information about the foundation of the society, its role in establishing Liberia, efforts to manage and defend the colony, fund-raising, recruitment of settlers, and the way in which black settlers built and led the new nation. Moreover, opportunities exist for additional research on the collection. For example, map study could reveal new data about settlement patterns, land ownership, and community development in Liberia. Work on the photographs could lead to identification of more of the individuals, locations, and events depicted. From passenger lists and land grants, researchers could glean new knowledge about Liberian genealogy. And, although the early history of the society has been well presented in publications, the post- Civil War period has not been thoroughly examined. more www.loc.gov/exhibits/african/afam002.html |
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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:05:54 GMT -5
Liberia is born In the early 1800s, as the United States debated the status and rights of its Black population, the government made its first stand with regard to Liberia (known at the time as the Grain Coast): Congress would help provide funding to send freeborn Blacks and emancipated slaves there to establish a colony. The idea of repatriating Blacks from America to West Africa was a controversial one. Among African Americans themselves, opinion was divided. Some felt they should stay and fight for equality and freedom in America. Others were encouraged by the promise of their own land, but were suspicious of the motives of the American Colonization Society (ACS) for sending them to Africa. Quaker members of the ACS felt that African Americans would have a much better chance at liberty in a country of their own than they would in America. Slaveholder members of the ACS agreed with the principle of sending Blacks to Africa, but theirs was a more selfish, and racist, reason: They wanted to rid America of any free Blacks who might help organize a slave rebellion. And so in 1822 the first Black, American settlers crossed the ocean and arrived on the Grain Coast, their voyage the first thread of a complex web that would link Liberia to America over many decades. The settlement was named Monrovia, after U.S. president James Monroe, and the colony became Liberia. Over the next 40 years, 19,000 African Americans, Africans recaptured from slave ships, and a small number of West Indians, would settle in Liberia. Transition to political independence White agents of the ACS first governed Liberia. Under them, Black American repatriates attempted to recreate and maintain an American society, yet they also married indigenous people. Many of their children, therefore, were Liberians of mixed parentage, but were identified as descendants of settlers, or Americo-Liberians. Like their settler parents, some would come to dominate Liberia's politics and economy. In 1847, Liberia became a republic, with a constitution and flag modeled after America's. The relationship of the U.S. to Liberia changed from one of control to one of assistance. Settler values, however, still dominated, especially as settlers benefited from an educational advantage, often having attended missionary schools in Liberia or gone to school in America. The first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, and his Cabinet were all American, born and educated in the U.S. American, but Black. And this was an important fact. In 40 years, Liberia had gone from being a white-run colony of America to a Black-run republic, with formal diplomatic relations with the United States. Despite this transformation, however, Liberia still relied on, and expected, financial assistance from the U.S. Financial dependence continues Liberia had a thriving and prosperous agricultural sector, but, lacking an industrial base at a time when industrialization was critical for economic development, Liberia began to face financial troubles in the 1860s. By the 1870s Liberia was forced to accept high-interest government loans from Europe and the United States. Thus began a long period of Liberian financial and economic dependence on other nations. During World War I, Liberia declared war on Germany, previously a major trading partner, in order to appease the U.S. As a consequence, Monrovia was shelled by a German U-boat, and the Liberian economy was crippled as a result of cessation of trade with Germany. www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/liberia/essays/uspolicy/ |
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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:08:29 GMT -5
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Post by Charity on Feb 22, 2007 13:15:14 GMT -5
LIBERIA A Clarification July 16, 2003 Pat Robertson explains his position on Liberia and President Charles Taylor. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., July 16, 2003-As you may know, Liberia was founded by the United States as a homeland for freed African slaves. The word Liberia is a derivation of the Latin for "free" or "freedom," and the capital, Monrovia, was named after President James Monroe. Liberia had as its first president a Baptist minister from Norfolk, Virginia. It modeled its constitution after the United States and attempted to follow us in establishing its government. Liberia considers itself a "little brother" of the United States, and has always looked to the United States as its founder, friend, ally, and protector. In the early 1980's, there was a military coup in Liberia led by Master Sergeant Doe. The Liberian President Tolbert was hacked to pieces by machetes. Then all of the top members of his government were taken from the capital city and butchered. Doe began a reign of terror in Liberia which resulted in civil war. Among those who fought Doe was Charles Taylor whose militia ultimately defeated Doe. Subsequently, Taylor was elected president of Liberia in what I understand to be a free election. Shortly thereafter, a rebellion broke out in neighboring Sierra Leone. Charles Taylor backed the rebels whose teenage soldiers were guilty of extreme brutality. Since Sierra Leone was a former British colony, first the United Nations and then the British sent troops in to establish order and put down the rebellion. From all I can gather, they were successful. Because of Taylor's role in assisting the rebels of Sierra Leone, the State Department of Bill Clinton urged the United Nations to place economic sanctions on Liberia. The government of Charles Taylor denied any further involvement with the rebels in Sierra Leone, but to no avail. As a result of the pressure brought on by the United States through the United Nations, Liberia was squeezed unbearably and the people suffered. With Taylor weakened, a group of rebels who were principally Muslim, began a civil war using neighboring Guinea as a staging area. The United States gave $3 million to help the army of Guinea, and I have on good authority that at least two containers of arms were sent by the United States to the port of Monrovia in Liberia to be used by the rebels against Taylor. Guinea is a Muslim country ruled by a capricious and ruthless dictator. If the Taylor government falls, the Muslim rebels are hoping to overrun Liberia, which is a predominantly Christian nation. If they do so, it is feared that a vicious civil war will result leaving the nation bleeding and in chaos. My question to the United States State Department is very simple, "If you are successful in taking down the government of Charles Taylor, what plan do you have to establish stability in Liberia, the rule of law, free elections, and representative government? What appropriation has been made by the United States Congress to back up the actions that you have taken to bring down the freely elected government of a sovereign and friendly nation?" These questions and my concern in no way indicated that I was supporting Charles Taylor. I merely asked the State Department how much African blood would have to be spilled before they were satisfied. The Christian nations of Africa are right now under assault by Muslims funded either by Saudi Arabia or Libya. This fact is well known to the CIA. Regrettably, the State Department seems to be indifferent to this emerging tragedy. I regret that my sentiments in support of the suffering Liberian people were misinterpreted by The Washington Post as unqualified support for Charles Taylor, a man whom I have never met, and about whose actions a decade ago I have no firsthand knowledge. www.patrobertson.com/PressReleases/taylor.asp |
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