ABSTRACT
Just as returned diasporan Africans played a significant role in ending the slave trade, they were also instrumental in the dissemination of a Western-oriented Christian educational system. They occupied a very political space imbued with the moral authority of valuing human rights. They violently opposed taxation without representation. Their activities began a long history in Sierra Leone of political participation, organization, and active public debate.2 As noted in the previous chapter, the first principals of Fourah Bay College were German missionaries who with invaluable assistance from their African colleagues conducted important linguistic research throughout this period. Leopold Butscher, John Raban, Frederick Schon, Sigismund Koelle, and Charles Reichardt all published important linguistic studies. Extensive collaboration existed among the German and African scholars at FBC. However, it was an African-American and a liberated African, Edward Jones and Samuel Ajai Crowther, who probably contributed most to the early development of the College. Many of their students became acknowledged scholars, professionals, and community leaders. Returned diasporan and
European missionaries had worked together to develop the College; however, during this period they came into increasing conflict over their roles within the college and their goals for the future development of the College. By the end of this period, the European staff primarily advocated incremental change and growth within a strictly Christian institution while the African staff increasingly called for a more rapid expansion of the educational system and a wider curriculum. By the end of the period and due to this growing conflict, the College had again closed.
