History of Liberia [Paperback]

J. H. T. McPherson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2004

In 1831, the Maryland State Colonization Society was formed. Active interest in the movement had long been felt in the State, and it scarcely needed the eloquence of Robert Finley, son of the old champion of colonization, who visited Baltimore in that year, to awaken enthusiasm. The Society had hardly been formed when ample funds were provided in an unexpected way. In August, 1831, a tragic Negro uprising took place in Virginia, in which some sixty-five white men, women and children were murdered.

Editorial Reviews

Review

With Liberia now emerging from war and starting a new process of reconstruction, this publication is more than timely. It is important for Liberians today and all those interested in the story of that very particular country to understand what the thinking was behind its creation and how the people who launched the process viewed themselves and viewed Africans. This book is a must read and will open doors for scholars and students of Liberian and African history. --Abdoulaye W. Dukulé, Ph.D, Assoc. Editor, The Perspective News Magazine

An absolutely invaluable historical insight couched in language which is conclusive and entertaining. A striking and eloquent literary effort... --Emmanuel Abalo, Fmr. Acting President, Press Union of Liberia / Fmr. News Director, Liberian Broadcasting System

A new twist on the history of our beloved Liberia that is worth reading about for its fresh historical perspective --James Youboty, Author, A Nation in Terror --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

"History of Liberia" was written by J. H. T. McPherson as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Johns Hopkins University. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing (June 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419123971
• ISBN-13: 978-1419123979
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,449,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An 1891 History of a Colony set-up for Ex-slaves from the United States, February 7, 2010

By 

David Craig (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History of Liberia (Paperback)

Liberia was set up by citizens of the United States as a colony for former African-American slaves. There is only one other state in the world that is started by citizens of a political power as a settlement for former slaves from the same political power: Sierra Leone, begun for that same purpose by Britain. Because of this, J. H. T. McPherson's "History of Liberia," which was written in 1891 and chronicles the story of that country, is a particularly interesting read. Chapter in this book include (1) The Colonization Idea, (2) The Colonization Movement, (3) Maryland in Liberia, (4) The Republic of Liberia, and (5) The Historic Significance of Colonization.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Who da thunk it was 120 years old!, June 4, 2011

By 

Bill G. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: History of Liberia (Paperback)

It's difficult reviewing a "book" (all 53 pages) that was not what I thought it was going to be. I am currently writing a book on my adventures during four visits to Ghana as a field biologist but needed information on Liberian history. Why Liberia? On my way to Ghana, accompanied by a student, in 1979, our Pan American flight ended in Liberia because there was a coup d'etat in Ghana. Although I have a library of well over 500 books on Africa, I had little on Liberia and wanted to include some facts about Liberia in my description of our week there. When searching for a history of Liberia on Amazon.com, this book popped up. Okay, so it was short, but perhaps it provided a nice concise history of major Liberian moments in its history. The date of publication was listed as 2009. When I opened the book upon it's arrival, I discovered that this was a republished dissertation (that much I knew) but that it was written by a professor of history and politics at the University of Georgia in 1891!

I have skimmed portions of the book and had to remember that it was written in a time of Jim Crow, i.e., segregation policies, in the deep South (and in the North as well, perhaps not as virulently so, although you may challenge that conclusion). This book should be fascinating to students of history -- not only of Liberian history -- but especially of American attitudes toward slavery, emancipation, and the solution to the"free black problem" that gave birth to the the Republic of Liberia. Perhaps such students of history would rate the book higher than my one star. By the way, my student and I went on to Ghana a week later on the next Pan Am flight only to find that former heads of state were being executed by firing squad!