Liberia Thanksgiving – November 7, 2024

History of Liberia Thanksgiving

Liberia was a project of the American Colonization Society back in the 19th century which believed that black people would have better chances of freedom and prosperity in Africa instead of America. Between 1822 to 1861, the American Civil War paved the way for 15,000 black Americans and around 4,000 Caribbean Africans to relocate to Liberia.

Since the arrival of these people in Liberia, the country has developed an American-Liberian identity. Liberia was the first African republic to gain independence but retained the inherited tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving among other American traditions and has continued to celebrate to date.

The country enacted a legislature in 1883 in which it was made official that the first Thursday of November would be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day every year. Ever since the Presidential proclamation is made every year on account of Thanksgiving. Being a predominantly Christian country, Liberia has many Muslims living in the country, so every year, the proclamation calls upon all the bishops, imams, and priests living in the country to come together to give thanks for God’s blessings and mercy.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in Liberia. Although it is an American tradition, and it is celebrated in the same original American style, over the years, it has adopted the local African cultural touches.