Lott Cary

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Providence Baptist Church old sanctuary

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Lott Cary

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Providence Baptist Church first pastors

Lott Cary (sometimes spelled Lott Carey) was an early 19th-century African-American missionary who played a significant role in the colonization and development of Liberia, a country on the West African coast. Born into slavery in Charles City County, Virginia, in 1780, Cary purchased his and his children's freedom in 1813. He is notable for being one of the first African-American missionaries to Africa and a founding settler of the colony that would become Liberia.

Early Life

Lott Cary was born into slavery in 1780 on a tobacco plantation in Charles City County, Virginia. Despite the limitations imposed by his enslaved status, Cary taught himself to read and write, a remarkable achievement at a time when educating slaves was discouraged or outright forbidden. His literacy enabled him to work in a more privileged position as a clerk in the plantation's store, where he managed financial transactions and gained skills that would serve him later in life.

Path to Freedom

Cary's intelligence and industriousness allowed him to accumulate money, which he used in 1813 to purchase freedom for himself and his two children. After gaining his freedom, Cary moved to Richmond, Virginia, where he worked as a laborer and later as a shipping foreman on the docks. It was during this period that he underwent a profound religious conversion, becoming a devout Baptist. His leadership and oratory skills quickly became apparent, and he was soon ordained as a Baptist minister.

Missionary Work

Moved by a deep sense of religious duty and a desire to help his fellow Africans, Cary became involved in the American Colonization Society (ACS), an organization that advocated for the resettlement of free African Americans to Africa. In 1821, Cary and his family volunteered to join a group of settlers bound for the ACS's newly established colony in West Africa, which would later become Liberia.

Upon arrival, Cary's leadership skills and medical knowledge—acquired through self-education and practical experience—made him an invaluable member of the fledgling colony. He served as a missionary, spreading Christianity among the indigenous populations, and as a physician, treating both settlers and locals. Cary also played a crucial role in the colony's governance, eventually becoming the acting governor of the settlement.

Legacy

Lott Cary died in 1828 from injuries sustained while preparing the colony's defenses against a local threat. Despite his untimely death, Cary's contributions to the establishment and development of Liberia were significant. He is remembered as a pioneering African-American missionary and a key figure in the history of Liberia. His life story, from slavery to leadership in a free African state, remains an inspiring testament to the power of resilience and the pursuit of freedom.