By Christian J. Jlatuh, Director, National Library
Your Excellency, distinguished guests, fellow archivists, records managers, and champions of our national memory,
It is a profound honor to stand before you today as we celebrate International Archives Day 2025 under the theme: “Making Archives Accessible to Everyone.” This theme is not merely a slogan; it is a critical imperative, for archives are not just for historians or government officials—they are the collective heritage of all of us. As we join the global community in commemorating this significant occasion, I speak not only as a speaker but as a Liberian who intimately understands the profound power of preserved memory.
Why Archives Matter: The Foundation of National Identity
Archives are the very memory of our nation. They meticulously record our struggles, celebrate our victories, and enshrine our lessons learned. From Liberia’s independence in 1847 to every pivotal moment in our democratic journey, our archives narrate the authentic story of who we are. In a nation that has weathered civil conflict, overcome economic challenges, and endured the relentless march of time, our archives represent something sacred—they are the keepers of our truth, the guardians of our identity, and the indispensable foundation upon which our future must be built.
But, ladies and gentlemen, what good is history if its pages remain sealed? If our students, researchers, and everyday citizens cannot access our records, then we are not merely limiting knowledge; we are stifling national progress. Therefore, our archives must be open, available, and accessible to all Liberians. This accessibility is not a mere convenience but a fundamental democratic right that underpins transparency and good governance.
The Weight of Memory in the Liberian Context
Let me begin with a sobering reality that resonates deeply with every Liberian. How many of you have stood in a government office, desperately searching for a land deed to resolve a family dispute, only to be met with dead ends? How often have we witnessed critical decisions being made without reference to historical precedent because the necessary records simply could not be found? How many times have we, as a nation, repeated costly mistakes because institutional memory departed with retiring officials or was sidelined for political reasons?
This challenge transcends mere filing systems or storage facilities. This is about justice delayed, opportunities irrevocably lost, and a nation struggling to learn from its own experience. When our archives are inaccessible, we deny citizens their fundamental right to information. We deprive researchers of the vital materials needed to understand our past. We deny policymakers the essential historical context necessary for informed decision-making. Most tragically, we deny future generations the full, unvarnished story of who we are and how we became the Liberia we are today.
Transparency and Good Governance: Archives, the Democratic Imperative
The symbiotic relationship between accessible archives and democratic governance cannot be overstated. Archives serve as the bedrock of transparency, empowering citizens to hold their government accountable and participate meaningfully in democratic processes. When archives are accessible, they transform from mere repositories into powerful instruments of empowerment, rather than tools of exclusion.
In a functioning democracy, transparency is not an option—it is an absolute necessity. Citizens must have the unfettered ability to access government records, track policy decisions, and comprehend the rationale behind public actions. This transparency cultivates trust between government and citizenry, acts as a powerful deterrent to corruption, and ensures that democratic institutions remain truly responsive to the people they serve.
The Promise of Universal Access
Today’s theme—”Making Archives Accessible to Everyone”—carries within it a revolutionary promise. A promise that envisions a Liberia where:
- Students in Gbarnga, Bong County, can effortlessly access historical documents about the founding of Bong County from their smartphones.
- A land dispute in Grand Gedeh can be resolved swiftly and fairly because property records are digitized, verifiable, and instantly searchable.
- A citizen in Voinjama, Lofa County, can trace their family history with ease because birth and marriage records are diligently preserved and readily accessible.
This is not an impossible dream. This is an entirely achievable reality that demands our collective commitment and strategic, decisive action.
Current State of the National Archives: Challenges We Must Acknowledge
To truly move forward effectively, we must first honestly assess our current standing. Our national archives currently face significant challenges that severely impede their accessibility and overall effectiveness:
- Infrastructure Deficits: Our existing archives facilities desperately lack proper climate control, robust fire protection, and modern security systems. Documents that should be preserved for centuries are, regrettably, deteriorating daily, threatening the very foundation of our national memory.
- Capacity Constraints: We currently have far too few trained archivists and records managers relative to the immense needs of our nation. Professional development opportunities remain critically limited, creating a substantial workforce gap that undermines our fundamental ability to manage and provide access to our invaluable records.
- Technological Gaps: While the global community rapidly embraces digital preservation and online access, Liberia’s National Archives infrastructure remains largely analog, isolated from the advancements of modern information systems.
- Resource Limitations: Adequate and consistent funding for archives is far too often perceived as a luxury rather than a fundamental necessity, despite the indisputable and critical role this institution plays in good governance and national development.
- Institutional Fragmentation: Records are unfortunately scattered across various ministries, agencies, commissions, and counties with woefully limited coordination and standardization, rendering comprehensive access nearly impossible.
Though these formidable challenges exist, history and research have consistently proven that challenges often create more profound opportunities for transformation than opportunities themselves. Therefore, these obstacles, while significant, provide us with a clear, actionable roadmap for meaningful and enduring change.
The Vision for the Future: A Transformed National Archives System
I envision a Liberian archives system that serves as:
- A Pillar of Transparency: Where citizens can confidently access government records, track policy decisions, and hold public officials accountable through informed and active participation in democratic processes.
- An Engine of Economic Development: Where clear, accessible property records facilitate crucial investment, historical trade data informs sound commercial decisions, and meticulously documented best practices guide development projects toward sustainable success.
- A Foundation of Social Justice: Where land disputes can be resolved fairly and swiftly based on irrefutable documented evidence, historical injustices can be properly documented and at long last addressed, and every Liberian’s unique story becomes an integral and respected part of our rich national narrative.
- A Bridge Across Time: Where today’s critical decisions are genuinely informed by yesterday’s lessons, and tomorrow’s leaders inherit an organized, comprehensive, and accessible institutional memory that proactively prevents the repetition of past mistakes.
Appreciation for Our Unsung Heroes
Before we proceed further, I must pause to recognize the unsung heroes of our national memory: the hardworking and dedicated staff of the National Archives—our esteemed archivists and records managers. In often cramped storage rooms, with profoundly limited resources and frequently inadequate facilities, these dedicated professionals and paraprofessionals have courageously stood as the vigilant guardians of our collective heritage.
Despite facing challenges that would daunt many, our archivists and records managers have consistently demonstrated remarkable commitment to their calling. They have worked tirelessly, often under incredibly difficult conditions, to preserve invaluable documents, frequently utilizing their own ingenuity and resourcefulness to protect materials that might otherwise be lost forever. They have served researchers with unwavering patience, diligently helped countless citizens locate vital records, and steadfastly maintained our institutional memory even when proper governmental support was sorely lacking.
To our hardworking and dedicated staff, I say this without reservation: you are the true custodians of democracy itself. Your invaluable work enables transparency, supports the pursuit of justice, and meticulously preserves the truth for future generations. While your profound contributions may often go unrecognized by the broader public, those of us who truly comprehend the vital importance of archives know unequivocally that you are essential to our nation’s enduring progress.
Your professional expertise, your unwavering commitment to preserving our national heritage, and your selfless service to all Liberians deserve our deepest gratitude and our unwavering, continued support. As we collectively work toward making archives more accessible to everyone, we must remember that this ambitious vision cannot and will not be fully realized without your sustained dedication and unparalleled professional excellence.
Personal Commitment and Human Impact
As we conclude today’s commemoration, I want to emphasize the profound human dimension of our work. Every single document we preserve tells someone’s story. Every record we make accessible serves someone’s vital need. Every concerted effort we make toward building accessible archives secures someone’s future.
Consider the land deed that protects a family’s inheritance, offering stability and peace. Consider the policy document that guides better, more equitable healthcare delivery, impacting countless lives. Consider the historical record that helps us truly understand our complex journey as a nation, shaping our identity. These are not abstract concepts—they are the very building blocks of Liberian lives and the enduring tapestry of Liberian dreams.
Call to Action: Our Collective Responsibility
Today, I call upon every person in this room to become a fervent advocate for accessible archives:
- To Government Officials: Champion proper records management within your institutions. Elevate it to a budget priority, not an afterthought. Your decisive leadership in this area directly impacts democratic governance and the welfare of every citizen.
- To Citizens: Exercise your fundamental right to access public information. Demand better from your government. Your active engagement is the engine that drives accountability and systemic improvement.
- To Young Liberians: Seriously consider meaningful careers in archives and records management. Your nation desperately needs your talents, your boundless energy, and your innate technological fluency to meticulously build the archives of the future.
- To the Private Sector: Partner with us in constructing the modern infrastructure our vibrant democracy truly deserves. Your strategic investment in archives actively supports a thriving business environment and robust economic development.
- To the International Community: Lend your invaluable support to our efforts with technical expertise, critical funding, and collaborative partnerships that simultaneously strengthen both Liberian capacity and global archival networks.
Conclusion: The Archive as Promise and Possibility
Fellow Liberians, every archive is a solemn promise—a promise to meticulously preserve truth, to dedicatedly serve citizens, to wisely learn from the past, and to courageously build a better future. Today, as we commemorate International Archives Day under the inspiring theme “Making Archives Accessible to Everyone,” we wholeheartedly recommit ourselves to keeping that sacred promise.
We envision a Liberia where archives serve as vital bridges, not insurmountable barriers. Where information genuinely empowers rather than excludes. Where our national memory becomes an inexhaustible source of strength, unwavering unity, and continuous progress. Where the epic story of our independence in 1847 and every subsequent chapter since then remains universally accessible to every single Liberian, regardless of their geographical location, their educational background, or their economic status.
This vision is unequivocally within our reach. It certainly requires resources, without a doubt. It absolutely demands unwavering commitment, undeniably. But most importantly, it needs our collective, steadfast belief that every Liberian inherently deserves unhindered access to their heritage, their fundamental rights, and their profound history.
Let us leave here today not just with fleeting inspiration, but with concrete, unwavering determination. Let us transform the noble promise of accessible archives into the tangible reality of a more transparent, more efficient, and truly democratic Liberia. The archives of tomorrow undeniably begin with the decisions we courageously make today. Let us make them wisely, boldly, and always with future generations firmly in mind.
Thank you, and may God bless the Republic of Liberia.
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