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Teacher's Guide for FOOTSTEPS LiberiaJanuary 2001
Teacher Guide prepared by: Jo Sullivan, Salem Public Schools.
Prior Knowledge:
American students may have almost no knowledge of Liberia (Is it where Quadaffi lives?) and frequently have much misinformation about Africa. It is very important to establish what the images and stereotypes of African peoples and cultures are before embarking on new information. Ask students what they already know about Liberia. Whether or not they are able to list any information, then move to asking them, "What do you think of when you think about Africa?" If students are adolescents, or aware that they are not supposed to have stereotypes about Africa, it may be helpful to ask instead, "What do you think most American students think about when they think of Africa?" Through the lessons related to this issue, refer back to students' prior knowledge and expectations, to make connections and to adjust and discuss images and knowledge gained.
Background and Context:
It is important to balance African American settler aspirations and experience with the reality of the economy, society, and politics of the African coast - real people already lived on the coast. Liberia's origins and history meant that segments of Liberian society lived in uneasy coexistence, sometimes oppression, and then outright conflict. Read aloud or with students the articles on pages 3 - 5 and 7 - 10 as a general introduction to the history of the region and the origins of Liberia as a modern nation. Understanding the history of Liberia leads to understanding the later history of Liberia's failure to bring about the hopes of its founders.
Activities: - Debate: African Americans and anti-slavery white Americans (Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, Richard Allen) had many different points of view on whether or not blacks should leave the United States to emigrate to West Africa. Ask students to organize a debate, taking the roles of African Americans in the 1800s, arguing different positions on colonization as a response to slavery (i.e., supporting colonization for free blacks, for slaves who would be freed from slavery and opposing colonization based on the dangers, the right of people of African descent to freedom in the United States). Ask students to make their case to convince neighbors, parishioners or the public that they should or should not sign up to leave for Liberia.
- Letters Home / Recruitment: (articles on pages 11 - 13, 14 - 16) As an African American settler, and new immigrant to Liberia, write a letter to relatives in the U.S. describing your new life in West Africa. -OR- Design a poster to recruit African Americans to leave the U.S. and join you in Liberia.
- Compare and Contrast: Using a Venn diagram with the whole class, organize information to write a short essay comparing the origins, settlement, colonization and government of Liberia and the United States. Using the information in the articles on pages 3 - 5, 11 - 13, 24 - 27, and 32 - 35, these could include the motives and expectations of the settlers, the indigenous inhabitants, local perspectives on the intruders, cultural differences, Western versus local world views, culture, economy, purchase of land, establishment of a government that did not include the indigenous peoples, economic competition and military conflict.
- The Idea of Liberia: The motto of the Republic of Liberia (see seal on the cover), "The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here" has caused pride and pain among different groups of Liberian peoples. Why? Based on the articles in this issue, discuss the reasons for this with the students. For older students, or as an extension, discuss the following quote: Dr. Amos Sawyer, a political scientist and a former Dean at the University of Liberia and Interim President of Liberia has said that "the idea of Liberia was flawed in conception, design and implementation." (A. Sawyer, THE EMERGENCE OF AUTOCRACY IN LIBERIA, TRAGEDY AND CHALLENGE, 1992, p. 41)
- Leaders in Liberia: Choose a Liberian business, political or educational leader to write about. Who were they? (J. J. Roberts, the Hairstons, Augustus Washington, Edward Wilmot Blyden, William V. S. Tubman, William, R. Tolbert, Jr.) For more information on other Liberians, check the web site Liberia from the Stanford University Libraries.
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