Reports of the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Colonization Society.

Bookseller Notes

A scarce pamphlet comprising the collected reports of the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Colonization Society, from its foundation in 1829 to 1831. It was formed in aid of the American Colonization Society, which, 'in consequence of its great exertions [], in maintaining the colony established on the coast of Africa, had become involved in pecuniary embarrassments, which prevented any further active operations, and rendered it impossible to send out any more emigrants to Africa for some time'. Founded in 1816, the American Colonization Society sought to encourage the emigration to Africa of free African Americans, which had increased in number since the Revolutionary War and were seen by slaveowners as a potential threat to social order. The operations of the American Colonization Society were harshly criticised by African American communities and by abolitionists. Through the reports, this pamphlet summarises the key meetings (held at the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia) and deliberations of the Pennsylvania Colonization Society, with detail on fees, subscriptions, collection of books, food, etc. for the children of the Society's private African colony of Liberia, established in 1822, costs of expeditions to Liberia, reports from officers who had visited Liberia, addresses from the citizens of the colony, gathered in the city of Monrovia, and an address delivered by the Pennsylvania Colonization Society to that of Kentucky, with detailed accounts of the situation and political role of African American communities. NYPL, NYHS, Haverford and Cornell copies recorded in the US.