African Americans Emigrating to Liberia

Liberia a country on the West coast of Africa was founded in 1821, when officials of the American Colonization Society were granted possession of Cape Montserado by local Indigenous Chiefs for the settlement of freed African-American slaves. In 1822, the first African-American emigrants landed on Cape Montserado what was then known as the Grain Coast. In 1824, the settlement was named Monrovia, and the colony became the Republic of Liberia, West Africa.

In 1847, Liberia declared itself an independent state with a Constitution modeled after America's. After Liberia declared its independence, an African American who was born in the American state of Virginia, was elected Liberia's first black president.

In 1980 the 133-year-old Constitution of Liberia was suspended and replaces with military rule. In 1984 the military rulers refuse to restate the Liberian Constitution when force to reestablish Democratic Constitutional Rule. Instead they force Liberians to write another Constitution that was in favor of their violent leadership to maintain control of the government.

Since the suspension of the Constitution of 1847 and the beginning of the 1984 Constitution the country has become a fail state and its people have suffered terribly.

We believe that in order for the country, to return, to peace, economic stability, justice and prosperity for all, the government should give African-Americans (Negroes or of Negro descent) full citizenship and all rights as a citizen to Liberia without requesting that their U.S. nationality be loss in order to fulfill Article 27 (b) of Chapter IV of the Liberian Constitution.

CHAPTER IV CITIZENSHIP
Article27
a) All persons who, on the coming into force of this Constitution were lawfully citizens of Liberia shall continue to be Liberian citizens.

b) In order to preserve, foster and maintain the positive Liberian culture, values and character, only persons who are Negroes or of Negro descent shall qualify by birth or by naturalization to be citizens of Liberia.

c) The Legislature shall, adhering to the above standard, prescribe such other qualification criteria for and the procedures by which naturalization may be obtained.

We call on President Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson and the Liberian Government to fulfill the promise the fore fathers of Liberia made to the Freed African-American slaves and their descendants.