▁then ▁in ▁Gab on , ▁for ▁sevent een ▁years . ▁▁ ▁They ▁were ▁vig orous ▁oppon ents ▁of ▁the ▁international ▁slave ▁trade ▁and ▁French ▁imperial ism ▁in ▁Gab on . ▁Le ight on ▁Wilson ▁wrote ▁the ▁first ▁dictionary ▁and ▁grammar ▁of ▁the ▁Gre bo ▁and ▁M p ong we ▁languages ▁and ▁reported ▁on ▁the ▁st unning ▁achiev ement ▁of ▁the ▁V ey ▁in ▁developing ▁their ▁own ▁alphabet . ▁His ▁book , ▁Western ▁Africa , ▁was ▁a ▁careful ▁and ▁appreci ative ▁study ▁of ▁West ▁African ▁cult ures ▁and ▁soci eties ▁that ▁sought ▁to ▁ref ute ▁the ▁claims ▁of ▁a ▁rising ▁scientific ▁rac ism . ▁ ▁The ▁Dallas ▁Mor ning ▁News ▁called ▁the ▁book ▁an ▁" Eng ross ing , ▁eleg antly ▁written ▁history ... a ▁memor able ▁book " ▁and ▁the ▁Library ▁Journal , ▁Star red ▁Review , ▁said ▁it ▁is ▁“ B rim ming ▁with ▁ins ights ▁about ▁inter connected ▁individuals , ▁pe op les , ▁and ▁soci eties ▁struggling ▁with ▁conscience ▁and ▁dign ity ▁to ▁make ▁moral ▁choices ▁amid ▁cl ash ing , ▁if ▁not ▁col laps ing , ▁world s , ▁this ▁work ▁is ▁required ▁reading ▁for ▁anyone ▁interested ▁in ▁a ▁sympath etic ▁understanding ▁of ▁early ▁U . S . ▁mission aries ▁in ▁West ▁Africa , ▁the ▁per ils ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁colon ization ▁movement , ▁Civil ▁War ▁t ensions , ▁or ▁Atlantic ▁world ▁connections .” ▁ ▁Awards ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁B anc ro ft ▁Prize , ▁D well ing ▁Place ▁ 2 0 0 6