On Friday, October 15 I, along with Prof. Gordon Mikoski and many others from Princeton Theological Seminary, will be setting out on a journey to Liberia, to participate in the Afterlives of Slavery Conference. The conference is jointly sponsored by Princeton Theological Seminary and The University of Liberia. My exceedingly small role will be to participate in a Pastors’ Panel, consisting of Liberian and American Pastors, who will reflect on the role that the history of slavery has played in their congregations’ past and present. I will of course be speaking mostly about my predecessor, Isaac van Arsdale Brown, founder of the Lawrenceville School in 1810 and a huge influence on the American Colonization Society, which is responsible for creating the country that is Liberia. But much of the benefit of my journey will consist of learning about Liberia, the ACS, and links that extend from the history of PCOL to this legacy of American slavery.
I plan to blog as much of my experience as might be relevant and interesting, so stay tuned!
– Jeff V.
