The American Colonization Society: An Avenue to Freedom? [Paperback]

Allan Yarema (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761833595 | ISBN-13: 978-0761833598 | Publication Date: March 1, 2006

In the early 1800s a major social movement, the American Colonization Society, secured marked support in the United States. First popular in the 1820s and early 1830s, the movement waned in the late 1830s and 40s. It was not until the 1850s, when slavery increasingly polarized the nation, that the movement regained strength. Despite the endorsement of prominent humanitarians and sympathetic politicians in both the North and South, the colonization movement faltered in its initial goal of colonizing free blacks and its later efforts to encourage voluntary and gradual emancipation. This work explores the Society's organization, purpose, growth, and the various factors that led to its ultimate failure in addressing the existence of slavery in a society still experimenting with democracy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A chronicle of the Society's organization, purpose, growth, and the factors that led to its ultimate failure in dealing with the existence of slavery in a would-be democracy, The American Colonization Society is a scholarly, well-researched, and welcome addition to the American History and black studies reference shelves. (Midwest Book Review )

Yarema's pamphlet on the ACS centralizes the colonization debate in deeply-rooted ideas about whether or not the natin could honestly reconcile a commitment to liberty, freedom, and democracy with the enslavement of blacks. The formation of the ACS represents for Yarema a failed attempt to resolve the deep contradiction in the benevolent and paternal objectives of the organization and its efforts to encourage black settlement in Liberia. (Stephen G. Hall Itinerario )

About the Author

Allan Yarema is Assistant Professor of History at Abilene Christian University. He received his Ed.D. in Higher Education, M.S. in Political Science, and M.A. in History from Texas A&M University - Commerce.

Product Details

• Paperback: 102 pages
• Publisher: University Press Of America (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761833595
• ISBN-13: 978-0761833598
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,695,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > History > Africa > Liberia

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Effects of Secular Groups and Protestant Christians on "Slaveries and Freedoms", April 27, 2010

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A. B. Jackson "andreabjackson" (Yeadon, PA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Colonization Society: An Avenue to Freedom? (Paperback)

4/27/10 Professor Yarema's text on the sparring domestically and ' internationally', heightened by the fact that the USA was one of the few countries which had 'legal slavery' is well documented :People,Places,Commodities and Economies were affected ...The book mentions the 3 Groups of Blacks (free, emancipated and slaves),even to how Presidents or Politicans who ran for the Presidency at some point had various 'takes' on the 'emancipation as well as the colonization approaches';...it also gives many examples of as 'time marched on', how many of 'fervored adgendi' did a 'gradual reversal' due to circumstances and/or conflicts of interest... (e.g. Eli Whitney's cotton gin invention, which meant suddenly more need for slaves and less support of 'The American Colonization Society''s agendi of "mass exodus" of Blacks by deportation via colonization ). Mention is made of 'Secular Groups' & of the various 'Christian Protestant' creeds and 'Christian Protestant' Universities but not of how other faith-based groups were involved...4/27/10 abj

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A chronicle of the Society's organization, purpose, growth, and the factors that led to its ultimate failure, January 5, 2007

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Colonization Society: An Avenue to Freedom? (Paperback)

Written by Assistant Professor of History (Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas) Allan Yarema, The American Colonization Society is the true story of a major social movement that originated in the 1800's and gained increasing support in the United States. Growing in the 1820's and 30's, waning in the 40's, and regaining strength in the 50's when slavery polarized the nation, the American Colonization Society movement stumbled in its initial goal of colonizing free blacks and its efforts to encourage voluntary and gradual emancipation. A chronicle of the Society's organization, purpose, growth, and the factors that led to its ultimate failure in dealing with the existence of slavery in a would-be democracy, The American Colonization Society is a scholarly, well-researched, and welcome addition to American History and black studies reference shelves.