Historian Speaks on the Role of Virginians in the Founding of Liberia

On October 28, 2010, Marie Tyler-McGraw discussed her book An African Republic: Black and White Virginians in the Making of Liberia in a special Banner Lecture at the Virginia Historical Society. That lecture is now available online and provides valuable historic context for our November 6th program featuring President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of the Republic of Liberia.

The West African nation of Liberia arose from the aspirations of the American Colonization Society, which attempted to persuade free blacks to emigrate from the United States to that colony. Ultimately, the colonization scheme failed, but Liberia endured. No state was more involved with the project than Virginia. Virginians figured prominently among both leaders of the ACS and among settlers building a new life in Africa. In all, 4,000 black Virginians emigrated to Liberia in the 19th century.

In this lecture, Marie Tyler-McGraw tells the story of the founding of Liberia through character studies of some of the key participants and through the stories of important early meetings, including one meeting that took place in Richmond.

The video below is from the noon lecture attended by Virginia Historical Society members, so it does not contain the very interesting Q&A from the 7 PM lecture attended by Richmond Forum subscribers and members of the local Liberian community.


The website referenced by Dr. Tyler-McGraw is Virginia Emigrants to Liberia and is rich with more information including a database of black Virginians who emigrated to Liberia, searchable by name, locality, and in the case of freed slaves, by the name of the emancipator.

Dr. Tyler-McGraw is an independent scholar and public historian. This lecture was co-sponsored by The Richmond Forum.