Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Americo-Liberian people (also known as Congo people or Congau people), [2] are a Liberian ethnic group of African American, Afro-Caribbean, and liberated African origin. Americo-Liberians trace their ancestry to free-born and formerly enslaved African Americans who emigrated in the 19th century to become the founders of the state of Liberia.
Americo-Liberians formed a cultural elite in Liberia that produced every Liberian president before 1980. The following presidents of Liberia, however, were born in the United States : Joseph Jenkins Roberts , first and seventh president.
Some hailed the coup as the first time since Liberia's establishment as a country that it was governed by people of native African descent instead of by the Americo-Liberian elite. Other persons without Americo-Liberian heritage had held the Vice Presidency (Henry Too Wesley), as well as Ministerial and Legislative positions in years prior ...
The country was founded by freed black slaves in 1822. A revolt against the long-standing Americo-Liberian elite led to a coup in 1980. Former President Charles Taylor, who is currently on trial ...
The Grand Lodge of the Republic of Liberia is a fraternal organization based on the principles of Prince Hall Freemasonry.Prior to 1980, its membership tended to consist of Americo-Liberians and it was influential within the ruling True Whig party from its founding until the coup of Samuel Doe in 1980, when much of its senior leadership was killed and the new military regime banned masonic ...
The Americo-Liberian settlers did not relate well to the indigenous peoples they encountered and following Liberian Declaration of Independence in 1847, they held an elite position over society while native tribes lived within poorly developed rural communities.
The Robert family of Liberia is a prominent elite Americo-Liberian family of African American descent originating from Petersburg and Norfolk, Virginia based in Liberia with descendants in United States, United Kingdom, and Sierra Leone.
A member of the Americo-Liberian elite, before his presidency, he served as a member of the Liberian House of Representatives, including a term as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1848 to 1849, and in the Liberian Senate. [3] [4] [5] Following his presidency, in 1877, he became an agent of the American Colonization Society. [6]