Slavery and Black American Statehood

Liberia’s contribution to the world and Black American has often being forgotten by the very people that it was established for. Many freed blacks, from the United States and beyond, gave their lives for the founding of this beautiful coastal land in West Africa that is today known as the Republic of Liberia. But, Today's generation of black Americans would rather visit or talk about Mexico and foreign lands than mention, or admire their connection with Liberia. As the result, Africa first modern democracy created by freed slaves from America had been left to buried in long distance memories of past generation of heroes who laid their life on the line to escaped slavery, white prejudices and prosecutions. The research and the time needed to digest the complex history of Liberia by historians has not been appreciated by most of its young genera-tion on both side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Liberia should have the same significance to black Americans as Israel’s significance to Europe-an Jews and other Jews that came from other parts of the globe to establish historical connec-tion with the state of Israel. Some of the reasons that Liberia’s old democracy is on life support is because it was long abandoned by the sons and daughters of the many freed people of color that sailed on the dark parts of the world. These freed people of color were running from racial prejudice and prosecution in search of freedom and to establish a peaceful country of their liking. It was their love of liberty, freedom and equal rights that brought them to this costal land on the west coast of Africa.

Liberia should reclaim its position in the world as one of the earlier contributor to modern democ-racy, and the fight for freedom and liberty for all who set foot on her shores. Black Americans need to reconnect back with Liberia their ancestral homeland to help keep its dying democracy alive. If Liberia democracy should fail, it would not be because of the lack of effort on the parts of those who risks everything to create this small nation, it would be because of the old wound of slavery mentality that is still buried and indented in the minds of many offspring of black Ameri-can and the indigenous Liberian as well. I challenge every generation of black American, Ameri-co-Liberians and the Indigenous Liberians to remember these jubilant sounding voices of their forefathers when they gladly shouted “In joy and gladness, with our hearts united, We’ll shout the freedom, Of a race benighted. Long live Liberia, happy land! A home of glorious liberty, By God's com-mand! A home of glorious liberty, By God's command!” With these voices let us all be reminded to pick up the torches of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all the black race!