What contribution did Sigismund W. Koelle make to the study of Niger-Congo languages?

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Thematic map of Africa showing the distribution of Niger-Congo language branches. Distinct colors represent language groups such as Atlantic, Mande, Gur, Kwa, Benue-Congo, and Bantu, with Bantu languages covering most of central, eastern, and southern Africa. A numbered key lists prominent languages in each area, and country borders are marked for reference. — Niger-Congo languages Map showing the branches and distribution of the Niger-Congo languages.

Sigismund W. Koelle, a German missionary with the Church Missionary Society, made a foundational contribution to the study of Niger-Congo languages through his 1854 work, Polyglotta Africana.1

Working with freed slaves in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Koelle collected lists of 283 words across 156 different languages. He organized these lists to reflect the relationships he observed between the languages, and many of the groups he established correspond closely to modern classifications of the Niger-Congo language family. His systematic approach provided a significant early framework for understanding the linguistic connections within the region.1