The first black African State to gain political independence from a colonial power was
Liberia, a country in West Africa, was founded by free people of colour from the United States. These emigrants, both freeborn and recently emancipated, were funded and organized by the American Colonization Society (ACS).
In 1846, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, the first black governor of Liberia, requested the Liberian legislature to declare independence. The legislature called for a referendum, and on July 26, 1847, a group of eleven signatories officially declared Liberia an independent nation. Although it took several years for other countries to recognize Liberia’s independence, Britain did so in 1848, and France followed suit in 1852. The United States formally recognized Liberia’s independence in 1862.
Liberia retained its independence throughout the Scramble for Africa by European colonial powers during the late 19th century, while remaining in the American sphere of influence. President William Howard Taft made American support for Liberia a priority in his foreign policy. Despite the turmoil of the 20th century, Liberia maintained its sovereignty with the backing of the United States.
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