Hilary Teague
Encyclopedia
Hilary Teage was an Americo-Liberian
merchant, journalist, and politician in the early years of the West African nation of Liberia
. A native of the U.S. state of Virginia
, he was known for his oratory skills, and he pushed for Liberian independence from the American Colonization Society
. Teague drafted the Liberian Declaration of Independence
in 1847 and was later a member of the Senate of Liberia
and served as the new country’s first Secretary of State.
in the United States in the state of Virginia
in 1805. His father, Colin Teage, was a prominent black Baptist
preacher in both Richmond, Virginia
, and later in Liberia who had purchased his freedom. The family emigrated to West Africa in 1821 to help establish a colony for former slaves in what is now the nation of Liberia.
The younger Teage served as a Baptist minister in Monrovia
and was a merchant trading in palm oil
. In 1835, Teage became the owner and editor of the Liberia Herald
in Monrovia
, after John Brown Russwurm
left to become governor of the Republic of Maryland
.. As editor, Teage became a big promoter of Liberian independence and combined republicanism
, black nationalism
, and Christianity
to make his case. He remained the newspaper's head until 1849, when he left to devote full attention to politics.
regarding constitutional reform. He was later an instrumental figure at the Constitutional Convention of 1847 - representing Montserrado County
- in both debating and ratifying Liberia's constitution. He also wrote the country's Declaration of Independence, which railed against the their treatment as slaves and second class citizens in the United States. Teague became the republic's first Secretary of State after Liberia declared independence in 1847. Teage also composed Liberia’s hymn of independence.
He died in Liberia on May 21, 1853, and at the time was the country's attorney general.
Americo-Liberian
Americo-Liberians are a Liberian ethnicity of African American descent. The sister ethnic group of Americo Liberians are the Sierra Leone Creole people who are of African American, West Indian, and liberated African descent...
merchant, journalist, and politician in the early years of the West African nation of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. A native of the U.S. state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, he was known for his oratory skills, and he pushed for Liberian independence from the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
. Teague drafted the Liberian Declaration of Independence
Liberian Declaration of Independence
The Liberian Declaration of Independence is a document adopted by the Liberian Constitutional Convention on 16 July 1847 to announce that the Commonwealth of Liberia, a colony founded and controlled by the private American Colonization Society, was now an independent state known as the Republic of...
in 1847 and was later a member of the Senate of Liberia
Senate of Liberia
The Senate of Liberia is the upper house of the bicameral legislative branch of Liberia, and together with the House of Representatives comprises the Legislature of Liberia...
and served as the new country’s first Secretary of State.
Early life
Teage was born freeFree people of color
A free person of color in the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, is a person of full or partial African descent who was not enslaved...
in the United States in the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1805. His father, Colin Teage, was a prominent black Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
preacher in both Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, and later in Liberia who had purchased his freedom. The family emigrated to West Africa in 1821 to help establish a colony for former slaves in what is now the nation of Liberia.
The younger Teage served as a Baptist minister in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
and was a merchant trading in palm oil
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
. In 1835, Teage became the owner and editor of the Liberia Herald
Liberia Herald
The Liberia Herald, founded in 1826 is the first newspaper ever published in Liberia which at the time was a colony. It was founded by Charles Force, an American freed slave who died shortly after....
in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, after John Brown Russwurm
John Brown Russwurm
John Brown Russwurm was an American abolitionist from Jamaica, known for his newspaper, Freedom's Journal. He moved from the United States to govern the Maryland section of an African American colony in Liberia, dying there in 1851....
left to become governor of the Republic of Maryland
Republic of Maryland
The Republic of Maryland was a small African American nation which existed from 1854 to 1857, when it was united into what is now Liberia....
.. As editor, Teage became a big promoter of Liberian independence and combined republicanism
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
, black nationalism
Black nationalism
Black nationalism advocates a racial definition of indigenous national identity, as opposed to multiculturalism. There are different indigenous nationalist philosophies but the principles of all African nationalist ideologies are unity, and self-determination or independence from European society...
, and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to make his case. He remained the newspaper's head until 1849, when he left to devote full attention to politics.
Political career
In 1835, Teage became Colonial Secretary for the Liberian colony. In 1839, he was the clerk of the convention which presented the settlers' views to the American Colonization SocietyAmerican Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
regarding constitutional reform. He was later an instrumental figure at the Constitutional Convention of 1847 - representing Montserrado County
Montserrado County
Montserrado County is a county in the northwestern portion of the West African nation of Liberia. One of 15 counties that comprise the first-level of administrative division in the nation, it has four districts. Bensonville serves as the capital with the area of the county measuring , the smallest...
- in both debating and ratifying Liberia's constitution. He also wrote the country's Declaration of Independence, which railed against the their treatment as slaves and second class citizens in the United States. Teague became the republic's first Secretary of State after Liberia declared independence in 1847. Teage also composed Liberia’s hymn of independence.
He died in Liberia on May 21, 1853, and at the time was the country's attorney general.
External links
- Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence — Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson
- Lectures on Slavery, and Its Remedy — Amos Augustus Phelps, Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society
- Virginia Emigrants to Liberia