Americo-Liberian

different, and even the looks due to the ancestors of the former slaves. These outsiders took on the name of Americo-Liberians. (“History of Liberia”) A man who was also a great influence to the colonization of Liberia was Jehudi Ashmun. Jehudi Ashmun became involved with the American Colonization Society, and sailed with other settlers to Liberia in 1822 in hopes of colonizing more land. He bought land from the natives, sometimes using force, around the coast and rivers knowing that he could gain wealth from trade off the canals. In 1825 tribal leaders agreed to trade land for tobacco, shoes, rum and other items. (“Jehudi…”) Jehudi’s efforts were short lived when six years later he became ill. In 1882, he returned to the United States only to die on August 25, 1882 at thirty-four years old. Even after Jehudi Ashmun’s death, the other settlers that had voyaged with him to Liberia continued to settle the land. Just as Ashmun had done, his colleagues were very violent in effort to gain land and once even threatened to kill a tribal leader if land was not given up to them. After controlling Liberia for many years, the American Colonization Society decided that Liberia was a financial burden and made them claim independence on July 26, 1847. (“The African American…”) The United States did not recognize their independence until February 5, 1862. The Americo-Liberians were mostly educated people and after being declared independent, decided to adopt the customs of their…

country of foreign companies owning most of its land and wealth. It was first settled in by Americo-Liberians in 1817. This was the first cause of conflict in Liberia. The country was, and still is, in political and tribal conflict. Charles Taylor, the man who declared a revolution against the Liberian government, starting the country’s civil war, and, consequently, was convicted of countless war crimes and crimes against humanity, is one of the root causes of the country’s condition today.…

Liberia is a country often overlooked on the long list of countries adversely affected by the Cold War. Despite over a century of relative peace and prosperity, the small nation in West Africa would feel the chill of the war between the United States and the Soviet Union. What is interesting is that the Cold War’s effects on Liberia were very indirect. Rather than hosting a proxy war, the effects were much more indirect. Liberia was home to growing internal strife, which built up to a military…

twenty languages are spoken from the indigenous tribes, which make up ninety-five percent of the population. The other five percent are referred to as Americo-Liberians. They are the descendants of the freed American slaves. The lighter-skinned Americo-Liberians dominate the ruling class and the natives, by law, are not considered equals. One third of the women aged fifteen through fifty are in polygamous marriages and men are allowed up to four wives. Those living below the poverty…

Issues in Liberia and Sierra Leone had different conditions and root causes. Liberia was founded and declared as a state and a republic in 1847 by freed black American slaves, commonly referred to as Americo-Liberians. Most Liberians, especially the indigenous people, initially greeted Doe’s coup with euphoria and enthusiasm, but he basically practiced his predecessors’ ethnic and class politics. The crisis in Liberia largely reflected the internal factors outlined above, but one should not…

throughout history whenever people of African descent have united they have become stronger, more intelligent, freer, and more prosperous than when they go it alone. United we have always been more secure from internal and external threats of all kinds and our material fortunes advance toward prosperity and beyond rather than just surviving by the skin of our teeth. The African Diaspora needs to continue to use vehicles such as the Pan-African Congress and OAU to continually discuss, highlight…