House on Why Black Americans Should Commemorate Liberia’s History: The Hill

Professor Emeritus Roger House wrote an opinion piece for The Hill about why Black Americans should commemorate the history of Liberia.

Founded by free black emigrants from the U.S., the Republic of Liberia was controversial when formed, but today stands as a symbol of a successful colonial experiment by African Americans, says House.

Today, Liberia is a stable constitutional republic of 5.5 million people, and one of only two African states (along with Ethiopia) to avoid European colonization. It was an ally of the U.S. during World War II, providing the critical commodity of rubber. After suffering two civil wars in the late 20th century, it bounced back in 2006 under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman elected to head an African state and the recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. 

Read the full column on The Hill.