1831 Ashmun Map of Liberia w/Monrovia inset

The most important early map of Liberia issued shortly after its founding. This map was published in 1830 by Anthony Finley based upon the cartography of Jehudi Ashmun. The map covers the west African coast from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to Cape Palmas. Light red shading indicates territory claimed as Liberia by the American Colonization Society (ACS), while the darker red strip, about 150 miles, indicates regions actually under ACS control. The map is derived by cartography produced by Jehudi Ashmun, an agent of the U.S. Government and the ACS who traveled extensively throughout the region in an attempt to acquire lands and organize peaceful relations with the generally unwelcoming established tribal kingdoms.

Liberia and the American Colonization Society

In the early 19th century a controversial movement arose that advocated for the settlement of American free people of color in Africa. The American Colonization Society (ACS), as it was known, was formally established in 1816 to pursue this goal. In 1818, the ACS sent representatives to West Africa to find a suitable location for the colony, settling on the 'Pepper Coast' just south of Sierra Leone, but they were unable initially to persuade local tribal leaders to grant or sell territory. Nonetheless, plans for the colony progressed and in 1819, the ACS received 100,000 USD from Congress. On February 6, 1820, the first ship, the Elizabeth, sailed from New York to West Africa with 3 ACS agents and 88 African-American emigrants. In 1821, with support of U.S. Navy gunboat diplomacy, the colonists were finally able to secure a strip of land where Monrovia now stands. While constantly harassed by the local tribal peoples, a steady influx of emigrants from America continued to grow the colony. Jehudi Ashmun, an early leader of the ACS, traveled extensively throughout the region in 1825 and 1826, leasing, annexing, or buying tribal lands along the coast and along major rivers leading inland. Ashmun also helped to draft the Liberian constitution, which was based upon the U.S. Constitution, but with provisions that granted Americo-Liberians political power over indigenous peoples - power that they retained well into the 20th century. Liberia, although initially conceived as part of an American Empire, declared independence from the United States and the American Colonization Society in 1847.

The 'Civilizing' of Liberia

The goals of the ACS were at once racist and imperialistic. They believed that through the promotion of 'democracy' as a core virtue, they would expand the suasive sphere of American culture and trade into the 'primitive ' African continent. Ashmun and the other leaders of the ACS movement in Liberia imagined the colony as an agricultural powerhouse from which the natural resources and tribal peoples of Africa could be harnessed for American interests by very free people of color and former slaves who had been largely rejected and rebuffed by 'white' American society. Part of that vision is evident here. With town names in the red colored 'controlled' region suggestive of North American values: Millsburg, Stockton, and of course Monrovia, after president Monroe; and town names on the periphery of the red zone, reflecting African tribal names: Teembo, Tassoo and Settra Kroo. Monrovia itself is represented via a large inset evocative of modern urbanization, laid out on a bold and ambitious grid, with churches, defensive buildings, a market, schools, trade warehouses, public gardens, and more. Large rivers are shown flowing far inland from the coast, suggesting access to the heart of Africa and its rich resources. The perspective offered by the map is clean, hopeful, and sanitized, and reveals little of the difficult situation on the ground, the rampant disease among the colonists, or the unwelcoming warlike position of the pre-existing indigenous African kingdoms.

A Curious Connection?

We find it interesting that one the founders of the ACS was named Robert Finley (1772 - 1815), a clergyman of Scottish descent based in Princeton, New Jersey, and that this map was published by Anthony Finley of Philadelphia. Both Finleys' fathers were named James Finley, and they lived reasonably close to one another (New Jersey and Philadelphia). Although there is no clear relationship between Anthony Finley (1784 - 1836), Philadelphia publisher of the earliest map of Liberia, and Robert Finely, founder of the ACS, the matter may merit further research.

Publication History and Census

This map was issued in 1830 - 31. It was published by Anthony Finley and engraved by J. H. Young. Finley introduced this map as a separate map in 1830, dated; and as here, undated with the 1831 edition of his New General Atlas. The 1830 dated edition may have been issued for the ACS Thirteenth Annual Report of 1830. In the 1831 edition of his New General Atlas, Finley added two additional maps, Florida (plate 31) and this map of Liberia (plate 60).

This map is rare. It appeared only in one edition of Finley's atlas and the ACS Thirteenth Annual Report of 1830 is near unobtainable. This map does appear in a few institutional collections, but almost all examples appear to be digital resources based upon the same 2 or 3 physical examples.