Liberia’s President for life William Tubman was the son of freed American slaves whose journey to Liberia had been paid by Augusta, Georgia philanthropist. Emily Tubman. The new arrivals took her surname in Liberia and settled together. When son William was elected President, it seemed natural to him to open the door to American blacks to provide the investment that post colonial Africa needed. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Todays stamp from back in 1969, is an early version of the world stamp market farm out stamp. The subject, “The Heads of Negroes” drawing usually attributed to Dutchman Peter Paul Rubens is a good subject. It is today one of his most popular works as it captures the exotic nature of the subject, while not treating him in a disrespectful manner that one might expect from 17th century Antwerp.
Todays stamp is issue A197, a 10 cent stamp issued by Liberia on November 18th, 1969. It was a 16 stamp issue of paintings by the masters. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents whether it is mint, or as here cancelled to order.
Liberia was never a colony of Europe, but rather was established by freed American slaves who then politically dominated the areas native tribes. See https://the-philatelist.com/2018/02/06/free-african-americans-colonize-africa/ . The freed slaves were never more than 10 percent of the population and a very low percentage of freed slaves in America opted to return to Africa. The Tubman group that was President Tubman’s heritage arrived in 1844. Emily Tubman felt the presence of freed slaves among those still enslaved was disruptive and put downward pressure on the wages of poor whites and paid for the journey of freed blacks who volunteered. William Tubman was a man of many occupations including a Methodist lay minister, a soldier, and a lawyer despite having little formal education. He served in the Liberian Senate and Supreme Court before being elected President in 1944. In the modern African style, he served the rest of his life.
Tubman, as President, believed that Liberia missed out on the benefits of colonization in that it did not receive the infrastructure improvements that African colonies received. For example, the capital Monrovia did not have paved streets, a sewer system, or proper port facilities when Tubman took office. He opened Liberia to America, especially targeting investment and he hoped a resident inflow from American blacks. In this he was assisted by the former wife of Jamaican/ American repatriation leader Marcus Garvey, Amy Ashwood Garvey. With her, President Tubman had an extramarital affair. Tubman achieved some investment in rubber plantations and iron mines but most of the benefit stayed with the few that were of American slave heritage. Meanwhile the population was exploding thanks to USA food aid. Not many black Americans moved to Liberia and it wouldn’t be long before the native Africans would not allow themselves to be dominated peacefully.
This Rubens drawing is not the style of work for which he is best known. At age 53, four years after the death of his first wife, Rubens married her 16 year old niece. She was the voluptuous model for the series of nudes that followed and for which Rubens is best remembered. “The Heads of Negroes” drawing resides in his museam in Antwerp, the city he did most of his work.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the late President Tubman. He brought some unique ideas to the table regarding post colonial Africa. Haile Selassie of Ethiopia is better remembered, but perhaps both men should have been more listened to in their time. Come again for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.