The Black Deportation Scheme They Don’t Teach You About
If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can start your claim in just a click without having to leave your couch: https://ForThePeople.com/PBS
In the 1800s, a powerful coalition of politicians, enslavers, and even some abolitionists backed a radical idea: send free Black Americans to Liberia. Backed by the American Colonization Society, this movement sparked fierce debate across the country. This clash reveals how contested the idea of American citizenship has always been.
This episode of In The Margins is part of PBS’ America@250 collection, celebrating the country’s 250th anniversary. Democracy is built on participation. Get involved at https://vote.org/pbs
In The Margins is a series that covers the history they didn’t teach in school, exploring obscure, yet captivating tales that offer unique insights into their time and place.
*****
Want to learn more? Check out these books:
Against Wind and Tide: The African American Struggle Against The Colonization Movement by Ousmane K. Power-Greene
African Americans and the Making of Liberia by Claude A. Clegg III
*****
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateORIG
*****
Subscribe to PBS Origins so you never miss an episode! / @pbsorigins
And keep up with In the Margins and PBS Origins on:
Facebook: / pbsdigitalstudios
Instagram: www.instagram.com/pbsds
Comments
Latest news
@pbsorigins
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can start your claim in just a click without having to leave your couch: https://ForThePeople.com/PBS
@amtooam
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Welp after reading the comments I guess my vote won’t count 😅
@Statusidcard
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
The one star looks like United as one.. our flagged look like United in over 52 Divisions..
@carlousmagus5387
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Foundational Black Americans can't be deported. We are indigenous, not foreigners. We aren't Africans or Caribbeans. We are immigrants or migrates. No one brought us here. So where exactly are we going to send us where we're already in our homeland?
@minib7
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
17:36 Them people evil as hell.
I noticed this past decade how they want to push this interracial agenda with us as Black women in particular where we “need” white men to be happy as if they aren’t the most hateful men around… yuck.
@Liam-y1k1k
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Don't care.
@MarioGamadeFrança
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
….this was a GREAT Idea that fell short…give the Freed Slaves…after a 4 Year Civil War that cost the lives of some 650 THOUSAND Europeans…a Place to GO? in their own Continent, where they belonged in the first place?…how did THAT turn out? Liberia still exists, its one of the Poorest, most corrupt, most miserable places on the Entire Earth…wonder why, hum?
@misterholt8251
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Why isn’t a Black American telling this history? She is heavily misrepresenting the history of our community. Stop disrespecting Black American people and history.
@dedebrown2295
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Thank you Morgan & Morgan! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
@GoOn-w1q
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
0:39 , they should've deported them, generational problems would've been solved,
@RoryHilburn
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
But weren't they given some land and helped out in other ways?
@cookingwithgrandma6426
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Fugitive slave act = current detention and deportation policy. Anyone can be taken.
@terridavisministries6774
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
This was so awesome thank you
@VictorSabater-s1f
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Whitewashing history since 1498. Or possibly earlier.
@brandons2842
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Well at least hey didn’t just kill them like Argentina, Brazil and Colombia
@jonthesinner
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
The narrator is hot af
@keyarowmosley8929
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
I feel like history is repeating itself
@jeanfelixcyriaque5125
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Don’t know what’s true
@Neosoul_prima
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
This is exactly why I never care for any so called “abolitionist”! The US never cared for US! And never will
@ChRoNoS132
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
I think people who want to actually be American get to become an American, alot of the folks coming here now only have interest in coming here making some money and taking that money back to their country of choice/origin, with no intention to assimilate in the slightest bit and in some cases trying and succeeding in changing local laws. Dont come here if you dont plan on staying and becoming an American, my father and his family fled the Franco regieme and were more than happy to be Americans, not just to live here, it wasnt easy, my grandfather was a drafting engineer and none of his credentials were recognized so he had to start at the bottom and prove himself
@fredwooten14
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Lies.
@danaripley1200
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
True US history was never taught because too many people in power are too busy trying to bury or erase it. I learned more US history on the internet than I ever did in high school. Even learned about the dark, evil bits and brother, there are a whole lot of evil bits.
@SatyamDheeraj-h2e8b
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
I guess we have not paid enough as a society for this kind of lopsided views yet. Hopefully more polarization will help; or at least get you a lot of views. Looking at a society of 200 years ago by today's standards and passing overt and covert absolute value judgements whilst ignoring nuances is not very helpful. You should do more extensive research on Lincoln's actions before talking, and it is really tiring to help in comments. So here is a small thought to help you in the right direction, which you perhaps won't take because they won't help you make videos with high 'engagement' quotient (unlike conspiracy theories, dog whistles etc). The greatest generation of Indians (India the country) who led it to freedom from the British and practically the only phase in the region's entire history where group based hatred was not the only defining feature, were almost all educated in the British system and were deeply influenced by their civilizational values and methods, even though those values often took backstage in most of British actions when weighed against massive economic benefits. Try to have a wider lens, and use evidence contrary to your plan of linear narrative. You will probably make videos with less views, but you will add way more value to all life around you.
@BerhaneColston
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Very!! Very!! Sick people, very dark heart. Good will win at the end.
@beautifulaether
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Satan's Little Season is almost over! Praise God!
This evil world of lies and deception will be over VERY SOON 🕊️🌿🙏
Revelation 19
Revelation 20
Revelation 21
Revelation 22
John 8:32
John 3:3-5
John 3:16
Psalm 23
Amen and amen 🕊️🌿🙏🌷🌈
@BMS_VIDEOS-yp2bs
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
You forgot to mention the black people who were always free and were here before Columbus DISCOVERED America. Even PBS doing misinformation
@jpoupart23
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
So they moved some of the original people of the land to a new made country…
@intellectually_lazy
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
taking people off the streets without due process, in theory by warrant, in practice not so much, fines, jail time and assaults on citizens helping those targeted… that sounds vaguely familiar
@DonTgurdy1488
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Blacks have done nothing but complain about how white people are Soo mean to them. Why are none of them leaving? Any one of them could easily get a plane ticket back to Africa, but they choose to stay in America. Why is that?
@naya4607
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
is this Today I Learned Science??
@alysiabrown-z1q7n
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Im not dying for country that doesnt want me here.
@Woo-7x7
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Oh this is bad how it's American USA 🫵😮
@RutosJourney
May 17, 2026 at 12:30 am
Lots of black people moving to Thailand