On the West African coast, there is a small and little-noticed country with a population of just over four million. It is the earliest republic established in Africa, named Liberia. In English, Liberia means “freedom” or “liberation.” Why is this country so closely associated with “freedom” and “emancipation”? The reason lies in the liberation of Black slaves in the United States. This country was, in fact, the first African republic founded in the 19th century primarily by freed Black Americans who returned to Africa.

A Special Black Republic

Liberia’s national motto reads: “The love of liberty brought us here.”

Regarding its national emblem, Liberia offers a poetic explanation:
On the pale-blue surface of the Atlantic Ocean, a fully sail-filled ship carries freed Black slaves back to the land of their ancestors. Half of the rising sun emerges from the sea, while a golden curtain descends from the sky, symbolizing the bright future of this new nation. From the deep blue sky flies a dove holding a scroll of peace, spreading good news across the land.

On the green land grows a tall coconut tree, representing the tropical rainforests of West Africa. Beneath the tree are farming tools, symbolizing agriculture as the foundation of Liberia. Inscribed on the shield are the words: “We came here because of our love of liberty.”

Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, is named after U.S. President James Monroe. The freed Black people who returned to Africa were deeply grateful to the United States. President Monroe supported the idea of freed Blacks returning to Africa, although the U.S. government itself did not provide funding; the assistance came from private organizations.

Providence Island was the landing site of the first group of Black American migrants in 1820. In 1824, it was named Liberia, meaning “City of Liberty.” As early as the 9th–10th centuries, some inhabitants from regions near the Sahara in West and Central Africa had migrated to the Grain Coast, which is today’s Liberia. Beginning in 1462, Europeans arrived and called the area the “Pepper Coast,” where slave trading took place. The Portuguese were the first to trade slaves there, followed by Dutch, British, French, and German colonizers.

Large Numbers of Freed American Slaves Return to Africa

In the 1820s, an abolitionist movement emerged in the northern United States. Some enlightened slave owners allowed their slaves to receive education and learn skills so that they could work and live independently as free people. However, in a society with hundreds of thousands of enslaved Blacks, a small number of free Blacks found it difficult to coexist equally with white society. Many believed the best solution was to grant slaves freedom and send them back to Africa. As a result, a group of Americans formed a private organization known as the American Colonization Society, whose mission was supported by President Monroe.

Beginning in 1820, the American Colonization Society assisted Black people in returning to Africa. Batch after batch followed. By the 1840s, several thousand freed Blacks had been sent back. Some possessed technical skills, knew how to smelt iron, and could operate steam engines and other machinery. The society hoped these individuals would use their skills to improve both their own lives and those of Africans.

The American Colonization Society’s plan did help many Blacks escape their former lives of slavery. However, many freed Blacks did not wish to return to Africa. They were born and raised in the United States, had adapted to American life, and regarded America as their home. Nevertheless, once they returned to Africa, many of them achieved notable accomplishments.

The American Colonization Society selected Providence Island in West Africa as a settlement site and purchased land for these freed Blacks. In 1820, the first group of free Black Americans landed there. In 1824, they named the place Liberia, meaning “City of Liberty.” In 1838, the Liberian Commonwealth was established, with governors appointed with assistance from the American Colonization Society.

Nation-Building in 1847

On July 26, 1847, Liberia declared independence and established the Republic of Liberia. It adopted a constitution modeled after that of the United States, becoming the first republic in Africa. Another similar Black immigrant settlement nearby established the Republic of Maryland on February 4, 1854. By that time, the number of freed Blacks sent from the United States to Liberia had reached 9,000.

In 1857, Maryland was annexed by Liberia. In 1860, Black American settlers established the True Whig Party, which ruled continuously from 1869 for 130 years.

Coup and Civil War

In 1980, Master Sergeant Samuel Doe of the indigenous Krahn ethnic group led 17 soldiers in a coup, ending the 130-year rule of the descendants of Black American settlers and establishing a military government.

In 1989, former government official Charles Taylor, living in exile, returned to Liberia with the National Patriotic Front of Liberia. The country fell into a seven-year civil war. In 1996, under mediation by the Economic Community of West African States, the warring factions ceased fire, disarmed, and held elections. In 1997, Taylor was elected president, but civil war soon resumed.

Restoration of Peace

In 2003, under domestic and international pressure, Taylor transferred power to Vice President Blah and went into exile, bringing the civil war to an end. In 2005, presidential elections were held, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, leader of the Unity Party, was elected president. In 2011, she was reelected and remains in office.

China and Liberia maintain friendly relations. In accordance with United Nations plans, China dispatched 600 peacekeepers to Liberia in 2003, responsible for military observation, police duties, transportation, engineering, and medical services.

Liberia has a population of 4.2 million (2012). The official language is English, and 85 percent of the population practices Christianity.

A Female President Governing the Nation

Liberia is rich in natural resources and blessed with beautiful scenery. Its maritime industry occupies a special position globally. With a favorable geographic location along the Atlantic Ocean, it enjoys convenient sea transportation and possesses five ports, including Monrovia, with an annual cargo throughput of 200,000 tons. Liberia is also the world’s second-largest flag-of-convenience registry, with more than 1,800 ships flying the Liberian flag.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (born 1938) holds a master’s degree from Harvard University. She has served as a government minister and senator and is known as the “Iron Lady.” In 2011, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Now over 80 years old, she is widely respected. She visited China in 2006, and Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Liberia in 2007.