Joseph Jenkins Roberts became first president of Liberia - January 3, 1848

On this day in 1848, Black American merchant Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn in as the first president of Liberia. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Stay in History Class. It's a production of I
Heart Radio. Hey y'all, it's Eves. If you've been listening
to the show, then you know that I'm at home
for the holidays, getting some much needed rest and relaxation.
But I'm still bringing you another episode of this State
in History Class, So let's get into the show. Today

(00:20):
is January. The day was January three, eight Black American
merchant Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn into office as the
first President of Liberia. Roberts was born a free black

(00:42):
man in Norfolk, Virginia, in eighteen o nine. His father
was likely a white planter, and his mother was Amelia Roberts,
a woman of mixed race. Roberts grew up reading books
that were in the private library of William Coulson, a
black barber, whom he apprenticed under Let's In A decade
after Roberts was born, the American Colonization Society or a

(01:04):
CS was established. Black and non black Americans supported the
immigration of Black Americans to Africa for various reasons. Some
people believed they would live safer and happier lives they're
free from racial discrimination. Others just wanted black people out
of the country or wanted black Americans to christianize Africa.

(01:25):
The mission of the American Colonization Society was to send
free black Americans to Africa. Considering the different reasons people
supported colonization and the fact that it often made black
folks lives worse, many people opposed colonization and the a
c S. By the eighteen thirties, many abolitionists and black
leaders were denouncing colonization and the a c S for

(01:48):
supporting the institution of slavery, but some black people still
supported colonization, and the a c S was still sending
ships full of black immigrants to Africa. Throughout the early
eighteen hundreds, the Society set about finding a good location
for its colony in West Africa. It sent people to
Sharboro Island in Cerra Leone, where many died because of

(02:11):
the island's conditions. The a c S then moved his
efforts north to Cape Massadu. Local tribal leaders resisted colonization,
but the survivors from Sharborough Island and other people from
the US began arriving at Cape Massado in eighteen twenty four.
The colony was dubbed Liberia with its capital at Monrovia

(02:33):
after US President James Monroe. Despite Liberia's early struggles with
tribal leaders and with the governing authorities, slave states encouraged
the formation of war colonization societies. These societies founded their
own colonies in Liberia for formerly enslaved and free black people.
In eighteen twenty nine, Roberts left Virginia for Africa aboard

(02:55):
the Harriet with his mother, wife, child, and four siblings.
He and his business partner Coulson planned on exporting timber,
animal hides and other products to North America in exchange
for US goods as well as new immigrants. His wife
and child died not long after they reached Africa, but

(03:15):
Roberts did become a successful merchant. He got land to
raise cash crops, paid for his brother to go to
medical school in the US, and married another woman. Soon
he was recognized as a member of the upper crust.
He became high sheriff of the colony, collecting taxes from
indigenous people. By eighteen thirty nine, he was appointed vice governor,

(03:37):
and in eighteen forty one he became the first Black
American governor of Liberia. Commerce in Liberia was becoming increasingly lucrative,
but Liberia had a hard time protecting its interests as
foreign traders encroached on its territory. Roberts and other colonial
leaders sought the recognition of Liberian sovereignty, and in October

(03:59):
of eighteen forty six, the colonial legislature called for a
referendum on independence from the a CS. Colonists voted in
favor of independence, choosing to cut ties with the a
c S and convene a constitutional convention. Liberia was declared
an independent republic in July of eighteen forty seven, and

(04:19):
Roberts won the first presidential election. He was inaugurated on
January three, eighteen forty eight. As president, Roberts sought recognition
of Liberian sovereignty from other nations. Much of Europe, Haiti, Brazil,
and the US eventually recognized the new republic. Under his presidency,
Liberia expanded its territory, but friction remained between America Liberians

(04:44):
as they were known, and indigenous peoples. Roberts was reelected
three times and served eight years in office. He returned
to the office in eighteen seventy two, serving four more
years as president. Roberts died in eighteen seventy six, leaving
much of his estate to the Liberian education system. I'm

(05:05):
Eve Jeff Coo and hopefully you know a little more
about history today than you did yesterday. And if you
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(05:25):
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