DBWI: Liberia in Africa?

Deleted member 97083

Bit of a bizarre scenario I admit, but what if instead of a state of Liberia created in the "Indian Territory", the American Colonization Society had instead supported the creation of an independent Republic of Liberia in Africa?

Where would the country be established, by the way? Perhaps next to Sierra Leone, the British Empire's colony for freedmen?
 
ramones1986

ramones1986

In Freetown?!
Only for freed slaves who were accustomed to tropical climate, IMHO.

If the ACS wanted a homeland in Africa, they should consider the climate of the chosen region; after all, generations of English-speaking blacks in the United States were already accustomed to the Mediterranean climate of the South.
 

Orisha91

It's possible but unlikely.

Many evangelicals and abolitionists thought that slave-holding states would be better suited outside of Africa. It's really paranoia that changed the sentiment from putting them in Africa to Indian territory instead. Fact is, these free peoples would have given over valuable intel to the Brits and Spain as spies if they were resentful about the move. Most blacks did not think of themselves as Africans but as Americans, so the proposal was unpopular on that end as well. This was part of the reason majority of the nativists and nationalistic members of the A.C.S opinion turned away from settlement in Africa: loosening of control and oversight would endanger the U.S.

Now opponents of the majority of the nativists tried to sell the relocation to Africa, but it didn't outweigh the relocation in the Midwest. Keeping them on American soil offered the U.S the chance to stick these unwanted peoples in the middle of Indian Territory with little to know allies, isolated them away from any other European colonies, basically pit them against the Native Americans in the surrounding territories, and no access to the coast. If they happened to eventually implode, then it would be no one's fault but the almighty and the kindness of the U.S.

And there's more.

Liberia was used as a sponge to suck a bunch of free peoples of color (and runaway slaves) away from areas many southerners felt were way to close. Tribes like the black Seminoles, Seminoles, Lumbees, the Gullah and Geechee peoples, and a decent amount of Louisiana Creoles and Haitians went with them was bonus for the U.SA at the time. It helped reduce the runaway and free-colored peoples population to more tolerable levels on the east coast. It was seen as a win-win for the Northerners and Southerners, and most free colored folks were sold that this was simply an establishment of brown folks with their red brothers.

There are other major factors such as the 1812 war being more costly than first thought or the Comanches having a mini horde running around as a last FU from Spain. Not too well versed on them but they contributed just as much to Liberia's establishment. Furthermore, I doubt the A.C.S had the political capital to expend resources establishing a costly colony overseas: the American people wouldn't support this nor would the colonies or Africans accept such large foreign populations.

The A.C.S did tout the project as a success once Liberia started integrating among the Indians but hindsight is one of the mindkillers... No one thought they could actually be more successful beyond just trying to survive or even expanding. That they were able to ingratiate themselves to the U.S so they wouldn't be squashed immediately is really what's fascinating to me.

It's not pretty once you look into the details but they are one of the few if only success stories among colonies in this era.
 
Flashman

Flashman

Err... just where is America getting the land for this? Are they going to fight a war with the British? Not to mention the obvious contradiction it would entail to the Monroe Doctrine...
 

West

In the end of the day it was just smart business, It turned a ponential problem questionably loyal former slaves and turned them into an asset you now had a force surrounded by enemies who was loyal to you because they needed your help to keep their land.

This more then anything helped keep the indian territory in check, but when the civil war came you suddenly had a whole lot of free people of color with a whole lot of combat experience and a motive to help out. The Liberian regiements were some of the hardest most dangerous units of the war and helped to crush the rebellion in Texas.

So a benifit there, in liberia you saw the birth of the black middle class, the creation of a black majority state, this of course came with some significant downsides. The intitally good relationship between the black and native communities did grow poisonus with time, and there is still deep deep resentment between the two communities to this day.
 

Orisha91

The Freemen territory existed because the war of 1812 lasted as long as it did. U.S enemies had more than enough spies and allies among the natives and were just as good at turning others to prolong the war past what the American public predicted. With this in mind, the U.S side and her allies needed Freemen to help the effort, especially as the successful raids, recruitment, and use of some Comanche tribes by Spain and the U.K accelerated during the war. Shoving them over to be used by the U.K after just coming out of the war instead of using the Freemen to help check the strengthening Comanche would have weakened the civilized tribes and the U.S while generating resentment.

Also, I do have to agree with, West, but up to a point. I personally think the racial aspects are overblown because many Freedmen were intermarrying with Indians long before the wars, and many of the 'uncivilized' Indian tribes their slaves, especially with the Comanche absorbing runaway slaves long before the southern rebellion took place. The Comanche wars impacted Indian opinions of the Freemen and relations soured as free people of color became more numerous in Indian Territory and their population absorbed smaller Indian tribes. The rivalry became increasingly toxic because of the Freemen's increasingly predominance in the Comanche wars, mostly with approval from the U.S. Tbh, the freedmen territory was looked at as a giant bastard black Indian colony with Creoles ruling it.
 
ETGalaxy

ETGalaxy

Assuming that the ACS does create a colony in Africa then it would probably be established somewhere along the Gold Coast because it has an okay climate and would be decently close to the US. The colony probably wouldn't be that big and while I've seen scenarios where an African Liberia starts an American colonial empire I doubt it would be that successful to have such a consequence.
 
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