Lott Cary facts for kids
Lott Cary (also spelled Lott Carey) was an amazing African-American Baptist minister and doctor. He was a key leader in starting the country of Liberia on the west coast of Africa in the 1820s. In 1822, he founded the first Baptist church there, which is now called Providence Baptist Church. He even served as the acting governor of the colony from August 1828 until he passed away in November of that year.
Contents
Early Life and Journey to Freedom
Lott Cary was born into slavery in 1780 in Charles City County, Virginia. When he was about 24 years old, his owner sent him to work in Richmond. He worked at the Shockoe tobacco warehouse. Richmond was a big port for shipping tobacco.
In 1807, Cary joined the First Baptist Church of Richmond. This church had both white and African-American members. During this time, many people were becoming very religious. Baptist and Methodist preachers welcomed enslaved people into their churches. Cary was baptized by the church's pastor, John Courtney.
Cary was eager to learn. He learned to read the Bible and later went to a small school for enslaved people. About twenty young men attended this school. They were taught by Deacon William Crane. Crane had moved from Newark, New Jersey in 1812 and opened a shoe store. He also joined the First Baptist Church. Crane's students met three evenings a week. They learned reading, writing, math, and studied the Bible.
Cary worked hard and moved up at the tobacco warehouse. He started as a regular worker and became a shipping clerk and supervisor. His owner sometimes gave him five-dollar rewards for his good work. He was also allowed to collect and sell small bags of leftover tobacco for himself.
Becoming a Free Man and a Leader
In 1813, Lott Cary's first wife passed away. That same year, he used his savings to buy freedom for himself and his two children. It cost him $850.
As a free man, Cary continued to be hardworking and careful with his money. He and his family stayed in Richmond. There were many jobs available, and the city had a growing community of free Black people. In 1813, Cary officially became a Baptist minister. He also started working as a lay medical practitioner, meaning he helped people with their health even though he wasn't a fully trained doctor.
In 1815, Cary and his friend Collin Teague helped create the African Baptist Missionary Society in Richmond. This group aimed to send missionaries to Africa.
The American Colonization Society
In the early 1800s, there were about 2 million African Americans in the United States. About 200,000 of them were free. Most free Black people lived in the North. However, states like Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware in the Upper South also had more free Black people. After the American Revolution, some slave owners freed their slaves. They did this because they believed in liberty or because religious leaders encouraged them.
Some people believed that free Black people might cause problems in a society that relied on slavery. So, in 1816, a politician named Charles F. Mercer and a reverend named Robert Finley started the American Colonization Society (ACS). Their goal was to help free Black people and former slaves move to Africa and start a colony.
Many Black people born in the U.S. wanted to live freely in the country where they grew up. They had family and friends there. But the ACS wanted to send Black people back to Africa. This idea was called "repatriation".
The ACS had support from different groups. Some were philanthropists (people who give money to good causes), religious leaders, and abolitionists (people who wanted to end slavery). These groups wanted to free enslaved Black people and give them a chance to escape unfair treatment in the U.S. Other supporters were slave owners. They wanted free Black people to leave the South and the U.S. They thought free Black people might encourage enslaved people to rebel.
The ACS started the colony of Liberia on the coast of West Africa in 1819. Lott Cary was one of many free Black people who became interested in this idea.
Building a New Life in Liberia
By 1821, Lott Cary had saved enough money to pay for his and his second wife's trip to the new colony of Liberia. He gave up his property and a good income in Virginia.
When people asked him why he would leave a comfortable life, he said: "I am an African, and in this country... I cannot receive the credit due to either. I wish to go to a country where I shall be estimated by my merits, not by my complexion; and I feel bound to labor for my suffering race." He wanted to be judged by his actions, not his skin color.
Cary's work in Liberia was supported by several groups. These included the First Baptist Church of Richmond, the American Baptist Foreign Missions Society, and the African Baptist Missionary Society of Richmond. Cary was the first Black American missionary to Africa.
In the new colony, Cary worked as a pastor, advisor, and doctor. Sadly, his second wife died from disease soon after they arrived. He married again, but his third wife also passed away.
After arriving, Cary quickly started Providence Baptist Church in Cape Montserado. This settlement later became the capital city, renamed Monrovia. In 1822, he helped defend the new colony against attacks from local groups. He also started several schools to teach Christianity to the native people. In 1826, Cary was chosen as the vice-agent of the ACS.
Life in the early Colony of Liberia was very hard and dangerous. The local Mandé and other tribes did not want the American settlers to expand. There were many fights between the groups. The colonists were also in danger from slave traders. These traders would have sold the Black settlers back into slavery. On top of that, many colonists got sick with tropical diseases. It took time for the colony to build better homes and sanitation.
In March 1828, Cary became the acting vice-agent of the Colony. The previous colonial agent, Jehudi Ashmun, had chosen him as his replacement before he died. Later that year, Cary was hurt in an accident. He and seven others were making bullets when there was an explosion. He died two days later, on November 10, 1828.
Legacy and Honors
Lott Cary's work and spirit live on through many honors:
- The Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, based in Washington, D.C., continues his missionary work today.
- The Lott Cary House in Charles City County, Virginia, is a state historical landmark. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
- Lott Cary Road in Charles City County was named in his honor.
- The leaders of nearby James City County, Virginia declared March 21, 2001, "Lott Cary Day."
- In Richmond, the Carytown shopping area is named after him.
- Careysburg, a town near Monrovia, Liberia, was named for him.
- Providence Baptist Church in Monrovia, Liberia celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2001.
- In 2015, Cary was honored by the Library of Virginia as one of Virginia's "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History."
- Lott Carey Baptist Secondary School in Nigeria is also named after him.
