Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Virginia Colonization Board Journal of Proceedings, 1853-1858. State records collection, The Library of Virginia, Archives Branch, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Accession 29524 - accessioning information unknown.

Historical Information

The Colonization Board of Virginia was created by an act of the General Assembly passed on April 6, 1853 (chap. 55, p. 58) and appropriations were made to help fund the voluntary transportation and removal of free blacks to Liberia or elsewhere in West Africa through the efforts of the Virginia branch of the American Colonization Society. Statutory members of the board included the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Auditor of Public Accounts, the Second Auditor of Public Accounts, and four other competent members appointed by the Governor. An annual tax was levied on free black males between the ages of 21-55 to help finance the operations of the board and the first meeting of the board was held May 2, 1853.

The Colonization Board was authorized to reimburse the agents of the Virginia Colonization Society for transportation costs only after satisfactory proof that the freedmen had already been transported out of the state. The Virginia Colonization Society arranged for the actual passage of free blacks, and at each meeting the board received affidavits for particular freedmen who had already been transported, along with evidence that the individuals were currently free or born of free parents, that they were residents of Virginia and that they had already been transported to Africa or that they had embarked to another state for transportation. Once satisfactory proof had been provided, the Board authorized payment of a treasury warrant for $50 per person to the Rev. Phillip Slaughter, who served as the general agent for the Virginia Colonization Society, to help defray the costs of transportation. The board convened only upon information from the Virginia Colonization Society that it had actually removed a portion of the free black population to Africa.

The Board was required to keep a journal of its proceedings, showing all actions taken and monies disbursed, and was also required to submit a biennial report to the General Assembly showing the name, age, sex and locality of each person removed. The board's last report indicates that it felt that it had failed to achieve its objective because of limited powers and restricted funds. The board requested authorization to take further action by appointing agents to induce free blacks to remove themselves from the state and to collect them for this purpose, and authorization to spend money for travel expenses to the port of embarkation. This authorization was not granted. The board held its last meeting on August 14, 1858, after the preceding session of the General Assembly failed to extend its existence.

Scope and Content

The Virginia Board of Colonization journal of proceedings, 1853 May 2-1858 August 14, includes resolutions of the board, lists of the names and ages of free blacks transported from the Commonwealth to Africa, as well as the county, city or borough from which they were transported, and the amount of all monies disbursed to the Virginia Colonization Society for the purpose of transportation.