Published: July 28, 2026
BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa County — Liberia’s history is to be researched and written by Liberian historians and other scholars working outside the control of any government, under a Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. said Sunday his administration will revive.
Boakai said the National History Project will be insulated from partisan influence and from the interests of any particular administration or generation, and that it will widen the record to include the experiences of all the communities that contributed to the country’s formation and development. History should not be written through the lens of political convenience, he said, but must remain an honest, evidence-based account of the nation’s journey.
“But Liberians must remain at the center of researching, interpreting, and presenting Liberia’s history to ourselves and to the world,” he said.
He spoke at the country’s 179th Independence Day celebration, held under the theme “Strengthening National Identity Through Liberian-Led Historical Leadership,” which drew government officials, foreign dignitaries and citizens.
“Accordingly, the National History Project will be led by Liberia’s community of professional historians, archivists, archaeologists, anthropologists, linguists, educators, and other scholars, working under appropriate institutional oversight and drawing upon the knowledge and experiences of communities throughout our country,” Boakai said.
International scholars and institutions will remain valued partners in the work, he said, and future scholarship about Liberia should increasingly reflect Liberian leadership, Liberian perspectives and Liberian voices.
“Only through such an approach can we strengthen national identity, deepen reconciliation, and leave future generations a historical record worthy of their inheritance,” he said.
Boakai also marked a centenary this year of two events he said shaped the country: the signing of the 1926 Firestone Concession Agreement and the Harvard African Expedition to Liberia.
“Each shaped our country’s economic development and contributed significantly to the world’s understanding of Liberia’s people, culture, and natural resources,” he said.
“Let us draw strength from the achievements of those who came before us, learn from the challenges they faced, and preserve the legacy they left us,” he said.
Boakai did not say when the project will begin work, which institution will provide the oversight he described, or how it will be funded.
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