1816Meetings held at Washington, D.C., to discuss forming a
colonization society1817“The American Society for Colonizing Free People of Colour
of the United States” founded at Washington, D.C., with Bushrod Washington as
president and Elias B. Caldwell as secretaryEbenezer Burgess and Samuel J. Mills sent to Africa to
select a suitable site for the colony 1820First colonists sent to Africa where they resided at Sierra
Leone1821Eli Ayres and Robert Stockton purchased land for a colony at
Cape Mesurado on the west coast of Africa 1822Ralph R. Gurley elected secretary of the societyFirst settlers established at Cape MesuradoJehudi Ashmun arrived in Africa and became the society's
first colonial agent (died 1828)1824Ralph R. Gurley visited the colonistsTerritory of new colony named Liberia; settlement named
Monrovia1825Publication of the first issue of the society's journal,
African Repository1837American Colonization Society incorporated in Maryland18371839Society reorganized; new constitution adoptedSamuel Wilkeson named president of the board of directors
and general agent in charge of administration (resigned 1841)Ralph R. Gurley named corresponding secretary1839Commonwealth of Liberia organized under a governor appointed
by the societyThomas Buchanan named governor of Liberia (died
1841)1841Joseph Jenkins Roberts named governor of Liberia1844William McLain elected secretary of the society1847Liberia declared independence; Joseph Jenkins Roberts chosen
president1857Republics of Liberia and Maryland in Liberia united1858William McLain elected financial secretary and treasurer of
the society (died 1873)1862United States formally recognized Liberia1873William Coppinger elected financial secretary and treasurer
(died 1892)19121913Society's active support of emigration ceased1929Booker Washington Agriculture and Industrial Institute founded
in Kakata, Liberia, largely supported by the American Colonization Society and
the Phelps-Stokes Fund1954Booker Washington Institute became a technical college
attached to the University of Liberia, Kakata, Liberia1963Directors voted to dissolve the society; functions
ceased1964American Colonization Society legally dissolved; assets turned
over to the Phelps-Stokes FundFrom the guide to the American Colonization Society Records, 1792-1964, (bulk 1823-1912), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)