Thread by @ManjaKoi

Sarah Ann Bourne is known as the godmother of #Barbados 🇧🇧 people in #Liberia 🇱🇷.
In 1865 she organized a migration of 40 Barbadian families back to Africa.
Sarah founded the town of Crozerville in Liberia.
She also is the mom of President Arthur Barclay
A Thread🧵…
#History

Sarah Ann Bourne was born a free woman of Color in Barbados 🇧🇧 🇬🇧 in 1795.
She was born to a black mother, London Bourne, a founder of the Caribbean back to Africa movement.
Despite being a free woman she was treated as inferior to any European in Barbados.

Sadly London Bourne never lived to see Africa.
Sarah studied to be a teacher. She gained great respect for her teaching in Barbados(teaching was a prestigious job).
During her studies she met with some Liberians visiting Barbados.

There they told Sarah that the President🇱🇷 wanted Caribbean Black people to immigrate to Liberia and not just have African American repatriates.

Seeing a chance to fulfill her and her deceased mother’s dreams Sarah agreed to leave Barbados for Liberia along with her family.

Her and her mother being big voices in the back to Africa movement inspired at-least 40 other families to join her 350 people in total.

In 1865 together with their 11 kids Sarah and her husband Anthony Barclay boarded the Cora, and sailed to Monrovia Liberia.

When the immigrating Barbados repatriates arrived in Liberia the government welcomed them with open arms and gave them citizenship.
They sent them to settle a site in the north of Montserrado county.
There Sarah and the Caribbean families founded Crozerville in 1865.

End of 🧵
Sarah Bourne Barclay is the reason Liberia 🇱🇷 and Barbados 🇧🇧 share deep ties.
Sarah had a huge effect on Liberian history introducing an entire new community to Liberia.
Sarah Barclays family line even produced two great Liberian Presidents.

Thanks for reading!👋🏿

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