Before we get into the history of Liberia, let’s look up the country’s flag. The left side is dominated by a white star against a blue background; on the right, an alternating pattern of thirteen red and thirteen white stripes – looks a lot like the American flag, doesn’t it? That’s because the country of Liberia was founded by freed American slaves, repatriated back to Africa with the help of Quakers and former slaveowners who feared their rebellion.

On this day, February 6, in 1820, the first small expedition of freed slaves arrived in the new colony established by the American Colonization Society. They modeled their new nation closely after the U.S.

Resettlement was not easy for the new Liberians. Many initially suffered from malaria. Politically they were hemmed in from all sides by European nations vying for control over the continent. Then there was the matter of the indigenous tribes: ironically the Liberians chose to push them out of any decision-making government processes until 1904.