Republic of Maryland

The Republic of Maryland (also known as the Independent State of Maryland) was a small nation of African Americans from 1854 to 1857. It was in Africa. After this, it joined what is now Liberia.

The area was first settled in 1834^[1] by freed African-American slaves and African-Americans who were born free. Most of them were from the U.S. state of Maryland, and were there under the authority of the Maryland State Colonization Society.^[2] In 1838, other African-American settlements were joined to the Commonwealth of Liberia, which said that it was independent and not a part of Liberia in 1847. The Maryland in Liberia colony remained apart, as the state colonization society did not want anyone else to be able to trade goods. On 2 February 1841, Maryland-in-Africa became the State of Maryland. The state said that it was independent on 29 May 1854, and that it would be called Maryland in Liberia^[3] with its capital at Harper.

1. ↑ The African Repository, Volume 14, p.42. Retrieved March 13, 2010
2. ↑ Hall, Richard, On Afric's Shore: A History of Maryland in Liberia, 1834-1857
3. ↑ Constitution and Laws of Maryland in Liberia, p.1 Retrieved March 13, 2010