Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T20:14:16.533Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Anderson-D'Ollone Controversy of 1903–04: Race, Imperialism, and the Reconfiguration of the Liberia-Guinea Border1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2014

Tim Geysbeek
Tim Geysbeek*
Affiliation:
Grand Valley State University
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The years 2003-04 mark the centennial observance of a debate that emerged in Paris, Freetown, and Monrovia over whether or not the Liberian Benjamin Anderson trekked to the fabled town of Musadu in 1868. Musadu, now situated about five miles northwest of Beyla in Guinea-Conakry, or eighty-five miles northwest of the Liberian border town of Yekepa, represented Liberia's interiormost claim in the nineteenth century. Anderson's challenger was a captain in the French army named Henri d'Ollone, who went to West Africa in the late 1890s and surveyed some of the land that the French had recently conquered. Anderson won the debate, given the fact he was still alive and could prove that he went to Musadu, and because eminent persons such as the French diplomat-scholar Maurice Delafosse, and perhaps even the famed pan-Africanist Edward W. Blyden, came to his defense.

The controversy was set in the context of Britain, France, and Liberia's competing claims for land during the heyday of the western conquest of Africa. This paper examines the main contours of the debate, sets the debate in historical context, and republishes the most important primary sources so readers can examine the case more closely for themselves. While some have mentioned the controversy that emerged between d'Ollone and Anderson, the first detailed examination of what happened has been published in Fairhead et. al. (2003:79-88). This paper is a followup to that study.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 31 , 2004 , pp. 185 - 213
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

1

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, Boston, 2003. My thanks to Grand Valley State University's Department of History and Faculty Research and Development Center for providing the funding so that I could present this paper. I thank David Robinson and James Fairhead as well for sharing some ideas on how to put the d'Ollone-Anderson controversy into a broader historical framework.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Anderson and His Detractors.” 1903. West African Mail 1/31(30 October): 804; republished in Liberia Recorder 6/2(28 November 1903), 6.Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1870. Narrative of a Journey to Musardu, the Capital of the Western Mandingoes. New York: S.W. Green, Printer, with “Appendix to Benj. Anderson's Journal to Musardu.”Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1879a-f. “Narrative of the Expedition Despatched To Musahdu, By the Liberian Government in 1874, Under Benj. Anderson Esqr. “The Observer” [a] 2/11(11 September 1879); [b] 2/12(25 September 1879); [c] 2/14(23 October 1879); [d] 2/15(13 November 1879); [e] 2/16(27 November 1879); [f] 2/17(11 December 1879); [g] 2/18(25 December 1879).Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1903a. “Anderson Did go to Musahdu.” Liberia Recorder 5,22/23 (29 August), 10–12. [Document 4]Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1903b. “Mr. Anderson's Second Reply.” Liberia Recorder 6/2(28 November), 7–8. [Document 9]Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1903c. “Prof. Anderson's Reply to Captain d'Ollone.” Liberia Recorder 6/3(19 December), 6–7. [Document 10]Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1912. Narrative of the Expedition Despatched to Musahdu by the Liberian Government under Benujamin J.K. Anderson, Sr. Esquire in 1874. Ed. Starr, Frederick. Monrovia: College of West Africa Press.Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 1971. Narrative of a Journey to Musardu, the Capital of the Western Mandingoes [1870] together with Narrative of the Expedition Despatched to Musahdu … in 1874. Ed. and intro. Fisher, Humphrey J.. London.Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 2003a. “Benjamin Anderson, 1868-69” In African-American Exploration in West Africa: Four Nineteenth-Century Diaries, ed. Fairhead, James, Geysbeek, Tim, Holsoe, Svend E., and Leach, Melissa. Bloomington, 157–239.Google Scholar
Anderson, Benjamin J. K. 2003b. “Benjamin Anderson, 1874” In African-American Exploration in West Africa: Four Nineteenth-Century Diaries, ed. Fairhead, James, Geysbeek, Tim, Holsoe, Svend E., and Leach, Melissa. Bloomington, 240–78.Google Scholar
Anderson, Earle. 1952. Liberia: America's African Friend. Chapel Hill.Google Scholar
Arcin, André. 1911. Histoire de la Guinée Française. Paris.Google Scholar
“As we are about to go to press …” (7 November 1903). Liberia Recorder 6/1, 7.Google Scholar
Binger, Louis. 1890. “Voyage du Captaine Binger 1887-1889.” Supplement au Journal le Temps.Google Scholar
Binger, Louis. 1892. Du Niger au Golfe de Guinée par le pays de Kong et le Mossi (1887-1889). 2 vols. Paris.Google Scholar
Blyden, E.W. 1871. “The Arabie Language at Sierra Leone and Bathurst.” African Repository (August), 242–43.Google Scholar
Bourzeix, P.R. Pierre. 1887. La République de Libéria. Paris.Google Scholar
Carrance, Leopold. 1883. Letter to G.W. Gibson, 8 June. In Certain Papers from the Department of State [1883:15-16]; in U.S. Consulate Despatches 1863-1906, No. 170, microfilm 4391, roll 8.Google Scholar
Darlow, T.H. and Moule, H.F.. 1863. Historical Catalogue of the Printed Editions of the Holy Scripture. New York.Google Scholar
Davis, W.M. 1890. Letter to Honorable James G. Blaine, Secretary of State, Washington D.C. (28 November); in Notes from the Liberian Legation in the United States to the Department of State, T-807, microfilm 4400, roll 1.Google Scholar
Delafosse, Maurice. 1903. “The Franco-Liberian Controversy” (written 13 October 1903; published 30 October). West African Mail 1/31, 805; republished in Liberia Recorder 6/2(28 November 1903), 6-7. [Document 7]Google Scholar
Ellis, Stephen. 1999. The Mask of Anarchy: The Destruction of Liberia and the Religious Dimension of an African Civil War. New York.Google Scholar
“An Exact Fac-Similie of a Letter from the King of Musadu to the President of Liberia…” 1904. Liberia Recorder 6/8(26 March), 9–10.Google Scholar
Fairhead, James, Geysbeek, Tim, Holsoe, Svend E., and Leach, Melissa, eds. 2003. African-American Exploration in West Africa: Four Nineteenth-Century Diaries. Bloomington.Google Scholar
Fisher, Humphrey. 1971. “New Introduction.” In Narrative of a Journey to Musardu the Capital of the Western Mandingoes together with Narrative of the Expedition Despatched to Musahdu by the Liberian Government, by Benjamin J.K. Anderson, v-xxiii. London.Google Scholar
“France and Liberia.” 1904. West African Mail 2, 67 (8 July).Google Scholar
Franco-Liberian Agreement, concluded September 8, 1909. Monrovia.Google Scholar
“The Franco-Liberian Controversy.” 1903a. West African Mail 1/28(9 October), 742; republished in the Sierra Leone Weekly News 2/68(31 October 1903).Google Scholar
“The Franco-Liberian Controversy.” 1903b. Liberia Recorder 6/2(28 November), 7.Google Scholar
“Franco-Liberian Relations.” 1904. West African Mail 2/57(29 April).Google Scholar
Franklin, J.H. 1901. “La question de Libéria.” Questions Diplomatiques et Coloniales 12: 523–31.Google Scholar
“French Claims to the Hinterland.” 1903. West African Mail 1/11(12 June), 310; republished in Liberia Recorder 5/22-23(29 August 1903), 7. [Document 2]Google Scholar
“The French Claims to the Hinterland.” 1903. West African Mail 1/20(14 August), 55; republished in Liberia Recorder 5/24(12 September 1903), 9.Google Scholar
Gershoni, Yekutiel. 1992a. “The Formation of Liberia's Boundaries Part I: Agreements.” Liberian Studies Journal 17/1: 25–45.Google Scholar
Gershoni, Yekutiel. 1992b. “Formation of the Liberian Boundaries Part II: The Demarcation Process.” Liberian Studies Journal 17/2: 177–202.Google Scholar
Geysbeek, Tim. 2004. “Brief Sketch of the Life and Character of the Late Hon. Benj, J. K. Anderson. M.A. Ph.D. K.C.” paper presented at the Liberian Studies Association meeting, Durham.Google Scholar
Gibson, G. W. Department of State letter to Hon. Leopold Carrance. 2 September 1879, in the Frederick Starr Liberia Research Collection, University of Chicago, Box 1, Folder 7.Google Scholar
“A Gross Injustice.” 1903. Sierra Leone Weekly News 19/45(11 July), 4–5; republished in Liberia Recorder 5/22-23(29 August 1903), 7, 9, and Liberia 28 (February 1906), 83-85. [Document 3]Google Scholar
“L'hinterland du Libéria.” 1903. Bulletin du Comité de l'Afrique Française 6:193–94.Google Scholar
“Hon. B.J.K. Anderson's Strong and Able Reply to the Paris Correspondent in the West African Mail of June 12th.” 1903. Liberia Recorder 5/22–23(29 August).Google Scholar
de Bissy, Lannoy, Regnaule de, . “La carte d'Afrique au 1/2,000,000.” 1885. Association Française pour l'avancement des sciences. Paris.Google Scholar
de Bissy, Lannoy, Regnaule de, . 1886. Notices sur la carte d'Afrique (2d livraison). Paris.Google Scholar
Leopold, Robert S. 1991. “Prescriptive Alliance and Ritual Collaboration in Loma Society.” Ph.D., Indiana University.Google Scholar
“The Letter from the King of Musadu to the President of Liberia brought by Hon. B. J. K. Anderson.” 1904. Liberia Recorder 619 (9 April). [Document 11]Google Scholar
“Liberia.” 1903. West Africa Mail (16 October).Google Scholar
“Liberian Affairs.” 1903. West African Mail 1/39(24 December), 994.Google Scholar
“The Living Chronicle Enlarged.” 1903. Liberia Recorder 5/22–23(29 August), 9.Google Scholar
Lynch, Hollis R. 1967. Edward Wilmot Blyden: Pan Negro Patriot 1833-1912. London.Google Scholar
Lynch, Hollis R. ed. 1978. Selected Letters of Edward Wilmont Blyden. Millwood.Google Scholar
Morel, E.D. 1903. “The Franco-Liberian Controversy.” West Afrian Mail 1/30(23 October), 793–94; republished in Liberia Recorder 6/2(28 November 1903), 4. [Document 6]Google Scholar
Morel, E.D. 1905. “Liberia: Dr. Blyden's Mission to France.” Liberia Recorder 7/11(15 July).Google Scholar
Murdza, Peter J. 1979. “The Tricolor and the Lone Star: A History of Franco-Liberian Relations 1847-1930.” Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison.Google Scholar
Ollone, Henri Marie Gustave d'. 1901. De la Côte d'Ivoire au Soudan et à la Guinée. Paris.Google Scholar
Ollone, Henri Marie Gustave d'. 1903. “Côte d'Ivoire et Libéria: variations cartographiques relatives à ces contrées et état actuel de nos connaissances.” Annales de Géographie 12:130–44. [Liberia section in Document 1]Google Scholar
“Our National Legislature.” 1903. Liberia Recorder 6/3(19 December), 5.Google Scholar
“Our Paris Correspondent on the Dispute” 1903. West African Mail 1/28(9 October), 743; republished in the Sierra Leone Weekly News 20/9(31 October 1903), and Liberia Recorder 6/1(7 November 1903), 7. [Document 5]Google Scholar
Person, Yves. 1968. Samori: Une révolution Dyula, 2 vols. Dakar.Google Scholar
Person, Yves. 1975. Samori: Une révolution Dyula, 3. Dakar.Google Scholar
Reade, Winwood. 1873. The African Sketch-Book, vol. 2. London.Google Scholar
Réclus, Elisée. 1887. Nouvelle géographie universelle. La terre et les hommes. XII, l'Afrique occidentale, archipels Atlantiques, Sénégambie et Soudan occidental. Paris.Google Scholar
Reno, William. 1996. “The Business of War in Liberia.” Current History 95(May), 211–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dr.Rouire, 1884. “La délimitation de la République de Libéria.” Annales de Géographie Régionale 3:489–98.Google Scholar
“Le traité Franco-Libérien.” 1908. Bulletin du Comité de l'Afrique Française (2 February), 50–52.Google Scholar
Wauwermans, H.E.. 1885. Liberia: Histoire de la fondation d'un état nègre libre. Brussels.Google Scholar