Harvard Library will hold papers of former Liberian president Sirleaf
When determining the best place to hold six decades’ worth of her personal and professional archives, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, M.P.A. ’71, had two goals in mind. She wanted global reach for her archives, which would enable scholars worldwide to learn from them. And, with so many of the materials being deeply connected to her tenure as president and her work to secure peace in Liberia, Sirleaf wanted her archives to continue to have a home there. Fortunately, she was able to find a solution that offers the best of both worlds. This week, Sirleaf and the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) announced a unique agreement with Harvard Library to steward and provide access to Sirleaf’s personal and professional archives. The materials will come to the Harvard University Archives this summer and will be made publicly available within two years. The physical materials will...