Published: October 6, 2025
MONROVIA — The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development on Thursday launched a university roundtable aimed at strengthening its Oral History Program and preserving the legacy of Africa’s first elected female president.
Held at the Boulevard Hotel in Monrovia, the day-long forum brought together Liberia’s top university leaders, government officials and international partners to rally support for archiving and teaching the stories of women who helped shape Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s 12-year presidency.
‘A Home for African Women’s Leadership’
EJS Center Executive Director Ellen O. Pratt unveiled plans for Musiehjah, the African Women’s House, which she described as the world’s first presidential center built by and for a woman leader.
“It will be a home for researchers, academics, women in political and public leadership, a place for advocacy, restoration, and the pulse of our work in amplifying women’s leadership,” Pratt said.
Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and take two years. The center has launched a $10 million campaign for construction, sustainability and operations.
Preserving Women’s Voices
Chantal V. Bright, the Oral History Program’s manager and a PhD researcher, said the initiative, launched in 2024, uses African feminist storytelling to document the women who influenced Sirleaf’s political rise and policy priorities, from peacebuilding to economic reform.
The first series highlights 60 figures tied to Sirleaf’s campaigns and administration. Their testimonies will form the backbone of the planned Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Library at the African Women’s House.
The Center is partnering with institutions including Harvard University, the London School of Economics, Georgetown University and UC Berkeley to integrate oral history into academic curricula and research.
Universities, Gov’t and UN Pledge Support
At the roundtable, educators and partners called for a broader lens that includes rural and lesser-known women leaders.
Cuttington University President Dr. Romelle Horton urged collaboration with the Liberia Institute for Growing Patriotism and pledged her school’s support. University of Liberia President Dr. Layli Maparyan backed adding oral-history courses to the national curriculum. Deputy Education Minister Samuel G. Toe stressed the need to digitize Liberia’s history.
From the University of Liberia’s Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation, Dr. Anthony Hena and Dr. William E. Allen lamented the lack of a national history textbook and called for capturing eyewitness accounts.
Cllr. Asatu Bah Kenneth, head of the Crimes Division at the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court, urged the Center to create internships for young Liberians and spotlight women in law enforcement, noting their “alarmingly low” representation.
Comfort Lamptey, UN Women’s Liberia representative, pushed for inter-generational dialogue and recognition of unsung women who aided Sirleaf’s success.
‘The Liberian People’s Center’
Pratt closed by saying the initiative honors not just Sirleaf but the collective achievement of African women’s leadership.
“This is the Liberian people’s Center,” she said. “Liberia will be proud to build this house, a testament to women’s solidarity and development.”
The session ended with pledges to support the Oral History Program to ensure Sirleaf’s story, and those of the women behind her presidency, remain a lasting resource for Liberia, Africa and the world.
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