American Board Of Commissioners For Foreign Missions

For a general note on the history of the Board and the importance of its archives, see the finding aid to the main collection.

Africa came later than other parts of the world into the work of the ABCFM, the Zulu Mission in South Africa being the first to be established, in 1834. A mission in Gabon in west Africa was added in 1843, but was transferred to the Presbyterian Church in 1870. The West Central Africa mission in Angola and the East Africa mission (originally the East Central Africa mission, a branch of the Zulu mission) in Rhodesia were organized in 1880.

From the guide to the African missions records, 1843-1960., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)

For a general note on the history of the Board and the importance of its archives, see the finding aid to the main collection.

The Hawaiian Islands mission (originally the Sandwich Islands Mission was one of the earliest of the Board's enterprises, beginning in 1819. By 1850 the church in Hawaii was well established, and was reckoned to include a quarter of the islands' population. The Board handed over its business in Hawaii to the native Hawaiian Evangelical Association in 1863. The Micronesian Mission began in 1852 and was worked in cooperation between the Board and the Hawaiian Evangelical Association. Mission stations were established in the Caroline Islands (at Kusaie and Ponape), the Gilberts (at Apaiang) and Marshalls (at Ebon), and were served by ships, usually named Morning Star, belonging to the Board (on which see also ABC 83.2 in the main finding aid). The Philippines mission began in 1903 after the islands became a U. S. possession. By agreement with other missionary societies the Board was allocated the island of Mindanao.

From the guide to the Pacific Islands missions records, 1819-1960., (Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University)