U.S. Citizenship For All Liberians Repairs The Damage
Rev. Torli H. Krua
As the United States prepares to celebrate 250 years of freedom, Black leaders in Massachusetts—the birthplace of the American Revolution—have launched a movement to confront and repair the damage to U.S. citizenship and democracy caused by the 1790 Naturalization Act, signed by President George Washington, a lifelong slaveholder.
This movement has two clear goals:
First, Massachusetts will unite in demanding U.S. citizenship for all persons born in Liberia.
Second, August 22, 2026 will be recognized as a public holiday honoring Elizabeth Freeman—the formerly enslaved, illiterate Black woman who successfully sued for her freedom, won damages, and helped end slavery in Massachusetts in 1783, nearly 70 years before the Emancipation Proclamation.
As elected officials and community leaders in Massachusetts launched this movement, a copy of the Fourth and Final Remonstrance was presented to U.S. Embassy officials in Monrovia, including Political and Economic Counselor Sara Horner and the Chargé d’Affaires. The Remonstrance calls for an end to visa requirements for Liberians—many of whom, we argue, are U.S. citizens—especially when over one billion people from more than 40 countries can travel to the United States visa-free.
The historical record shows that Liberia was not founded by the American Colonization Society (ACS), as commonly taught. The ACS was not incorporated until 1837. Liberia was founded by the United States government. On April 25, 1822, U.S. agents secured land from King Long Peter for the permanent settlement of “citizens of the United States.” The American flag was raised, and gun salutes marked the establishment of U.S. jurisdiction—decades before the ACS assumed control.
On May 4, 1844, the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs declared the ACS charters “null and void,” confirming that the organization lacked legal authority to colonize anyone. This legal deficiency contributed to the settlers’ decision to declare independence in 1847, amid disputes over sovereignty and trade.
The Case for U.S. Citizenship for Persons Born in Liberia
All persons born in Liberia are entitled to U.S. citizenship based on the following historical and legal foundations:
- Pre-departure status: African Americans who settled Liberia were already citizens under the principle of jus soli, having been born in the United States prior to and after July 4, 1776.
- Founding principles: The Declaration of Independence affirms that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights. These rights are inherent and cannot be granted or revoked by the government.
- Massachusetts Constitution (1780): Declared that “all men are born free and equal.” Inspired by this, Elizabeth Freeman successfully challenged slavery, helping to end it in Massachusetts by 1783.
- Contradictions in federal law: The Naturalization Act of 1790 restricted citizenship to “free white persons,” directly contradicting the nation’s founding ideals and introducing racial exclusion into federal law.
- Colonization motives: Leaders of the ACS—including prominent slaveholders and government officials—promoted colonization not as liberation, but as a means to strengthen slavery. The ACS itself acknowledged that removing free Black people would make enslaved individuals more “obedient” and “useful.”
- Liberian constitutional guarantees: The 1824 Constitution of Liberia explicitly stated that all persons born in the territory were entitled to the rights and privileges of U.S. citizens.
- Questionable sovereignty: Liberia’s 1847 independence followed the legal collapse of ACS authority. Only 214- a small minority of settlers voted, while the vast majority of settlers—including about 300,000indigenous populations—were excluded. The United States never formally transferred sovereignty through the Senate.
- Continuity of law: Liberia’s 1847 Constitution preserved prior legal frameworks, including citizenship provisions tied to the United States.
- Historical acknowledgment:S. leaders, including President William Howard Taft, recognized Liberia as a colony established for American citizens.
- Modern constitutional reference: Article 95 of Liberia’s 1986 Constitution acknowledges continuity with its founding, which traces back to April 25, 1822—when Liberia was established as a U.S. colony under federal authority.
A Continuing Call for Justice
From the settlers’ remonstrances in 1823 and 1830 to the Fourth and Final Remonstrance presented in 2023–2024, this issue has been raised across all branches of the U.S. government—Executive, Legislative, and Judicial—yet remains unresolved.
For over two centuries, descendants of American citizens exiled to Liberia have lived under the consequences of policies rooted in racial exclusion. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this movement calls for truth, repair, and the fulfillment of the nation’s founding promise: liberty and justice for all.