Final answer:
Henry Clay was part of the American Colonization project, an initiative to transport freed blacks from the United States to colonies in Africa, more specifically Liberia, as a solution to both slavery and racial tensions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American Colonization Project Henry Clay Supported
Abraham Lincoln praised Henry Clay for being a part of the American Colonization project, which was an initiative that focused on removing freed black people from the United States and transporting them to Africa to create colonies. This project was a controversial aspect of the broader movement to address the issue of slavery in the United States.
The colonizationists, including influential figures like Henry Clay, James Madison, and even Abraham Lincoln, supported this initiative for varying reasons; some saw it as a way to gradually end slavery, while others believed it could alleviate racial tensions within the country.
Notably, Clay advocated for colonization because of the 'unconquerable prejudice' against blacks in the United States, reflecting the complex views on race and slavery during that time.
Although Clay is often remembered for his role as 'The Great Compromiser,' for his efforts to balance free and slave states with the Compromise of 1850 and other measures, his involvement in the colonization project shows his support for solutions to slavery that would also remove freed blacks from American society. This initiative ultimately led to the formation of Liberia in West Africa, a country established for this purpose.