Lexington man was born a slave and went on to become president of Liberia

Editor’s Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city’s history — some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange.

A man who was born into slavery in Lexington went on to become the president of Liberia.

Alfred Russell was born to Amelie “Milly” Crawford, a mixed-race woman who was a slave owned by Jane Hawkins Todd Irvine. According to a pamphlet published by politician Robert Breckinridge, Alfred Russell’s father was Irvine’s grandson, John Russell, who had raped Crawford during a summer visit to his grandmother.

When Irvine died in 1822, Alfred Russell and his mother were sold to Irvine’s daughter and John Russell’s mother, Mary Owen Todd Russell Wickliffe, and her husband Robert. She was a wealthy heiress, and he was the brother of Levi Todd, Mary Todd Lincoln’s grandfather.

In 1833, Wickliffe emancipated Alfred Russell and his mother, as well as his cousin Lucretia Russell and her four children, Sinthia, Gilbert, George and Henry.

The newly freed family emigrated from the United States to Liberia, a country that had been established under the American Colonization Society, which sought to move freed slaves to Africa. The 15-year-old Alfred Russell and his family boarded a ship with nearly 200 other people and headed to Liberia.

In most cases, the families the American Colonization Society was aiming to “repatriate” had lived in the United States for generations. Still, many enslaved people were given their freedom on the condition that once freed, they left the United States immediately.

When the ship landed on July 11, 1833, only 146 people disembarked. Nearly 30 children had died during the trip across the Atlantic.

Once in Liberia, conditions were harsh. The settlers had no immunity to local diseases and suffered greatly. Inadequate housing, scarce food and nearly nonexistent medical care left them without resources as they struggled against diseases like malaria and dropsy.

Close to half of the people died during the first years. Within a few years, Alfred Russell’s cousin and three of her children all died from local fevers. Russell’s mother died in 1845.

Alfred Russell also contracted a local fever in 1835 which forced him to use a crutch the rest of his life. Because of his disability, Alfred Russell became a teacher and later, an Episcopal priest. He had 200 acres of land purchased by the Kentucky Colonization Society, where he cultivated sugar cane and coffee.

After becoming active in politics, Alfred Russell ran for vice-president with Anthony Gardiner in 1881. When health issues forced Gardiner to resign three years later, Alfred Russell became president.

Russell served out his term, but economic conditions in the country faltered, and he was not elected for a second term. Russell died three months after leaving office on April 4, 1884.

Have a question or story idea related to Lexington’s 250-year history? Let us know at 250LexKy@gmail.com.