On August 15, 1824, the first group of freed American slaves, known as the “American Colonization Society” (ACS), established Liberia as a colony. The society was formed with the goal of relocating free African Americans and formerly enslaved people back to Africa. Liberia became an independent nation in 1847, and its capital, Monrovia, was named after U.S. President James Monroe, who supported the colonization movement.

Liberia’s establishment was part of a broader, controversial movement in the U.S. aimed at solving the “race problem” by sending free Black people to Africa. While it was seen as an opportunity for freedom and self-determination for many African Americans, the colonization efforts were criticized for being driven by a mix of abolitionist and racist motivations.