Liberian Historian Dr. Herbert Brewer Addresses Governance in Independence Day Oration

On July 30, 2026, Dr. Herbert C. Brewer delivered Liberia’s 179th Independence Day oration in Monrovia, arguing that the nation’s history is its greatest untapped asset and warning that a loss of confidence in the past could erode confidence in the present. He framed history as a foundation for national memory, wisdom and purpose, and challenged young Liberians who view the country’s past as a catalogue of failure.

Senator Augustine S. Chea of Sinoe County praised Brewer’s scholarship but said the speech missed a chance to connect historical lessons with Liberia’s current governance challenges, including corruption, economic hardship, youth unemployment and political polarization. Chea called for future orations to link the nation’s past directly to present policy debates and reforms.