Preferred Name

Karen Luu

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Date of Graduation

8-9-2024

Semester of Graduation

Summer

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Department of History

Advisor(s)

Andrew Witmer

Philip D. Dillard

Michael Gubser

Abstract

The topic of colonization and emigration is complex, nuanced, and debated by historians. Colonization and emigration were options considered by Africans and African Americans since the pre-Revolutionary period, and that legacy has been shaped to fit the historical narrative. It is important to examine early support for this movement by African Americans as well as how the opposition to this polarizing topic developed. This can be done by understanding the environment of these individuals at the time to understand that it was perhaps not as polarizing as it may seem on the surface.

This thesis attempts to help fill the gap in the understanding of African American support of African colonization specifically in the city of Boston. It is significant to understand that there was a duality that existed amongst those who supported the colonization movement. The same individuals who pushed colonization efforts and ideals were also constantly contributing to the community around them. They fought for equality and rights in the United States and pushed for access to better resources and education for their communities. Black Bostonians who supported colonization also sought to improve their community’s situation within Boston. Reexamining the topic of African colonization and emigration will give insight into the complexity of African American life in Boston.

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