American Colonization Society

The American Colonization Society 

The dashing Robert Finley

      The American Colonization Society was established by Robert Finley in December of 1816. It was created as an anti-slavery program to resettle African Americans in Africa. Supported by President James Monroe and Chief Justice John Marshall, the American Colonization Society was privately funded as opposed to being government funded. However, Congress did eventually agree to give them money to start the project.

     

     The American Colonization Society was a compromise between clergy, abolitionists, and slave owners. The clergy and abolitionists wanted to free African slaves and give them a chance to return to Africa. The slave owners were afraid of free Africans and wanted to get them out of America. 

        James Monroe, Bushrod Washington. Andrew Jackson, Francis Scott Key, Henry Clay, and Daniel Webster all met on December 21 in Washington D.C. Henry Clay, known as the Great Compromiser, conducted the meeting. They ratified a constitution and, over the next three years, raised money by selling membership certificates. The Society pressured Congress to support their cause.

Membership certificate to the elite Society

        

      In 1819, Congress granted them $100,000 to use as funding to send the slaves back to Africa. The Elizabeth was the first ship to sail to West Africa from New York. It departed in January of 1820 carrying three ACS agents and 88 African emigrants. 

     Some of the money from Congress was also used to help purchase the Cape Mesurado area off the coast of West Africa. This land eventually became known as the colony of Liberia. When the colony was founded, the ACS employed white agents to rule over the colony. During 1820 and 1831 nearly 3,000 black emigrants went to the Society's settlement.

The American Colonization Society

     The colony began to expand and establish a strong economy. Joseph Jenkins Roberts became the first black governor of Liberia in 1842. Liberia declared itself an independent nation in 1847 and selected J.J. Roberts to be its first president.

     
     The American Colonization Society was focused on freeing slaves. It benefitted both sides of the slavery debate. Slaveholders were glad to be rid of the free Africans and abolitionists were happy to be giving the former slaves a new beginning.

Works Cited: 

"American Colonization Society." American Colonization Society. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://personal.denison.edu/~waite/liberia/history/acs.htm>.

"American Colonization Society (1816-1964) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed."American Colonization Society (1816-1964) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. <http://www.blackpast.org/aah/american-colonization-society-1816-1964>.

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "American Colonization Society (abolitionist Organization)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19587/American-Colonization-Society>.

Emma Hyland and Madeleine Edge

etween 1820 and 1831 nearly 3,000 black emigrants went to the ACS’s settlement in Liberia - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/american-colonization-society-1816-1964#sthash.cYrAtwhV.dpuf

etween 1820 and 1831 nearly 3,000 black emigrants went to the ACS’s settlement in Liberia - See more at: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/american-colonization-society-1816-1964#sthash.cYrAtwhV.dpuf