“‘See the Original Declaration’: National Archives Unveils Rare Independence Exhibition to Showcase Liberia’s Priceless History”

Monrovia, Liberia:Liberians and international visitors will have a rare opportunity to view some of the nation's most treasured historical documents and artifacts on Wednesday, July 22, when the Center for National Documents and Records Agency (CNDRA), in collaboration with the Office of the Director General of the Cabinet, stages a special Independence Day exhibition aimed at preserving and celebrating Liberia's rich historical legacy.

The one-day exhibition, to be held at the Monrovia City Hall on 1st Street, Sinkor, under the theme "Showcasing Our Past for National Progress," forms part of activities marking Liberia's 179th Independence Day and will officially open at 10:00 a.m.

Speaking during the Ministry of Information's regular press briefing in Monrovia, CNDRA Exhibition Team Lead George M. Woodtor said the exhibition is designed to give the public direct access to historical records that have shaped Liberia's journey from its founding to nationhood. "This exhibition is an opportunity for Liberians and our foreign guests to witness the documentary evidence of our nation's history," he said.

According to Woodtor, one of the biggest attractions will be the display of the original 1847 Declaration of Independence and the original Constitution, alongside rare historical maps, photographs, and artifacts documenting Liberia's early development and its place in African history. "These are priceless national treasures that every Liberian should have the opportunity to see," he noted.

The exhibition will also feature records tracing early European contact with the West African coast, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, abolitionist movements, Pan-African leaders, Black Christian missionary activities in Africa, and the repatriation of freed slaves and settlers who established Liberia.

Visitors will further be able to explore exhibits containing the historic Ducor Contracts signed with local chiefs, photographs of Providence Island and Cape Mesurado settlements, colonial administrators, governors, traditional leaders, and displays covering Liberia's Colonial and Commonwealth periods.

Among the rare legal documents scheduled for display are the original 1911 and 1914 Boundary Readjustment Agreements between Liberia and the then Colony of Sierra Leone, together with other important national records preserved by the National Archives. Woodtor described the collection as "empirical evidence of the nation's founding and historical evolution."

Explaining the importance of the exhibition, Woodtor said Liberia, as Africa's oldest independent republic and the world's second Black independent nation after Haiti, has a responsibility to preserve its documentary heritage for future generations. "The exhibition will educate young Liberians, strengthen patriotism, and demonstrate the uniqueness of Liberia's founding to the international community," he emphasized.

Woodtor invited government officials, diplomats, development partners, historians, researchers, students, civil society organizations, media practitioners, and the general public to attend the free exhibition, urging visitors to arrive early. "This exercise is intended to benefit every Liberian and every friend of Liberia who has never had the opportunity to see the original records that tell the story of our nation's birth," he said.