Yesterday, March 11, 2026, was Decoration Day in Liberia. We dispatched a few reporters in the field to engage with the Liberian populace on the historical significance of the day.
Verity News observed some semblances of historical misreadings and misinterpretations that we intend to quickly correct. It is important for us to cross the ‘t’s’ and dot the ‘i’s’ once and for all, because access to accurate information is a RIGHT. The Liberian people deserve to know.
So, we sourced the original Act of the National Legislature that gave birth to Decoration Day as a National Holiday in Liberia, which was approved on October 24, 1916.
After 110 years, the original copy of this legislative document still lives on, as attached. Hence, we did retrieve it from the Library of the Cornell University.
The Real History. Eleven (11) Key Highlights: Why it matters now to this generation of Liberians and our unborn generations.
1) The Holiday was Passed into Law at the First Session which began on Monday, December 6, 1915.
2) The First Session was adjourned on Saturday, February 5, 1916.
3) Venue of Passage: The City of Monrovia.
4) The title of the Act that made Decoration Day possible since 1916 is called: An Act Supplementary to an Act Declaring Certain Days to be National Holidays, Approved January 9, 1883.
5) The specific section that birthed the holiday: Section 5 on page 11: “…That the second Wednesday in March of each year shall be set aside as a National Holiday and shall be called Decoration Day.”
6) Why Decoration Day (Purpose): To honor/remember all those (heroes and heroines) who’ve served in the interest of Liberia but are now deceased/dead.
7) Approved Date: The Holiday was approved into LAW on Tuesday, October 24, 1916.
8)The President: Daniel Edward Howard
9) The Vice President: Samuel George Harmon
10) The President Pro-Tempore: Charles Benedict Dunbar
11) The Speaker: John Gottlieb Auer Richards
We hope to do this for all of Liberia’s 11 holidays that are backed by the Law. Eleven (11) decades or 110 years from now, we are sure that our great-great grandchildren will appreciate these simple truths as our Republic continues to soldier on.
As Liberia grows in population, economic, social, and political strength, we can no longer ignore historical accuracy. Doing so is a form of intellectual dishonesty and a dishonor to truth-telling and our collective past as a nation and a people. Lest we forget that the intelligentsia loathes inaccuracy.
May God bless mother Liberia 
as all of its children continue to live and thrive in peace, unity, solidarity, and national integration. May all those who’ve departed rest in peace. We are grateful to the editorial team of Verity News in Liberia for granting us this opportunity to contribute this guest editorial.
For simple historical use and understanding of Decoration Day, please reference the attached document, specifically where the red arrows are pointed. Is there a need for a national debate around historical revisionism in Liberia?
Reference:
Cornell University Law Library. (2005). Acts passed by the Legislature, Republic of Liberia during the sessions: 1915-16, 1916, 1917-18. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
About The Author: Martin K. N. Kollie is a Liberian activist in exile and a former student leader in Liberia. He is currently studying for an LL.M. degree in The Netherlands.
