By Associate Professor Dr. Josephus M. Gray
The Liberian nation, without overstating, indeed needed trained, competent, qualified, professional men and women to run the affairs of the republic and had the conviction of establishing a tertiary educational institution that could accomplish this mission. It was this idea that gave birth to Monrovia College in 1862 later changed to liberal Arts College, Liberia College and now Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities. The College was established 15 years after the nation’s independence in 1847. After a long period, the College granted its first degree in 1873. The first group of students was tested in Greek, Latin and Mathematics.
As the pillar of tertiary education, resilience, and empowerment within the landscape of the nation’s higher education, Liberia College, now Amos C. Sawyer College at the University of Liberia, has played a vital role in providing educational opportunities for Liberian students, promoting research and fostering academic excellence.
The College embodies the values of excellence, resilience, and empowerment, and its contributions to higher education has been invaluable. The Amos C. Sawyer College’s unwavering commitment to education and the betterment of young minds set in motion a legacy that we are privileged to inherit and trek forward, making our environment a slightly better place for everyone to come, be, work and acquire new knowledge. Since its foundation, the College has provided pathways for social mobility and unique campus based program for generations of students, and serves students from low income backgrounds, offering them opportunities for upward movement.
The institution was founded on an agenda of social responsibility to the Liberian society and the world to provide educational access to the citizens and other nationals across the globe. The driving forces behind that agenda have become an integral part of the philosophy of the University of Liberia. The College is historically the fifth oldest College on the African continent, and the oldest in the Republic of Liberia. In 1951, then Liberia College and William V. S. Tubman College of Education (formerly William V. S. Tubman Teachers’ College) settled to form the University of Liberia through the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia (TDEL), based in the United States of America.
The first President of the republic, Joseph Jenkins Roberts served the College as its inaugural President while the first Dean of the College was a female, Dr. Anna Cooper who served (from 1951-1955) during the transition of the College to University of Liberia. The current Dean is Prof. Dr. Josephus M. Gray serving from January 2020-present. The first three deans of the College up to the transition of the institution to the establishment of the University of Liberia were all females.
The Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities, has a rich history that dates back to its founding in 1851 when Liberia College was chartered upon authorization by the National Legislature. On 25 January 1858, the cornerstone of the first building of the once Liberia College was laid paving way for the inaugural class of seven students in 1863; and from 1866 to 1902, the College was able to successfully produced only ten graduates during the administration of its first three presidents from Joseph Jenkins Roberts to Dr.  Edward Wilmot Blyden. Justice Robert B. Richardson was the first alumnus to become the College’s president.
Interestingly, the nation’s first president Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the First President of the once Liberia College from 1856-1877. he was followed by Dr. John B. Pinney from1878-1879, while the College’s third President was Dr. Edward Wilmot Blyden from 1879-1884. The College’s fourth President Dr. Martin H. Freeman served from 1885-1889, followed by Garretson W. Gibson serving two terms—1890-1894 and 1900-1901. Dr. Orator F. Cook served from 1895-1899, while Robert B. Richardson was the first alumnus to become President of the institution. He ran the institution from 1902-1912.
Other past presidents of the Liberia College now Amos C. Sawyer College were: Justice James Jenkins Dossen, former Vice President to President Arthur Barclay who became President of the College in 1913. Justice Dossen went on to serve as Chief justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia for ten unbroken years. Former President Arthur Barclay born in Barbados, the British West Indies served as President of the College from 1914-1917. He was educated at Liberia College before going on to serve as President of Liberia and the College. The Grand Master of the United Brothers of Friendship (UBF), Rev. Dr. Nathaniel H.B. Cassell served as President of the College between 1918-1926 and Dr. Martin Henry Freeman, the first black President of American College served as President of Liberia College in 1826. Prof. Dr. T. Ebenezer Ward served as President of the College from 1940-1950.
The institution has evolved from a small community of teachers and students into a large, complex institution with positive legacy of global prestige. Eleven eminent individuals had served as Presidents of the College prior to founding the University of Liberia in 1951. Joseph Jenkins Roberts, John B. Pinney, Dr. Edward Wilmot Blyden, Garretson W. Gibson, Dr. Orator F. Cook, Dr. Robert B. Richardson, Justice James Jenkins Dossen, Arthur Barclay, Rev. Dr. Nathaniel H.B. Cassell, Dr. Martin Henry Freeman and Rev. Dr. T. Ebenezer Ward.
Uniquely, three of the distinguished former Presidents of the College also served as Presidents of Liberia. The three are: Joseph Jenkins Roberts, first President of Liberia; Garretson W. Gibson and Arthur Barclay. The College opened its doors in 1862, marking the crucial period in the Liberian history with emphasis on education to ensure a sound and academically prepared human resource development. For over 164 years, Liberia College now Amos C. Sawyer College has withstood the test of time as one of the best colleges in the areas of academic excellence, research, quality teaching and creative thinking in which all scholarly works are cherished and promoted.
The College has had twenty-two (22) Deans of which 17 full statutory Deans and five were acting deans. The 17 Deans are: Dr. Anna M. Cooper (1951-1955), Dr. Fatima Massaquoi Fahnbulleh (1955-1957), Dr. Doris Banks Henries (1957-1963), Dr. Fatima Massaquoi Fahnbulleh (1964-1966), Prof. Jack F. Calley (1966-1967), Prof. Kenneth W. Eubaks (1967-1978), Dr. J. Bernard Blamo (1970-1972), Prof. Clarence E. Zamba Liberty (1972-1974), Prof. Wede S. Jones (1974-1978), Prof. Dr. Amos C. Sawyer (1980-1983), Dr. Wingrove C. Dweanima (1986-1989), Prof. Dr. Ben A. Roberts (1995-1996), Assoc. Prof. Joseph G.N. Barlefay (1996-2004), Assoc. Prof. Steve M. Jubwe (2011-2016), Prof. Dr. William E. Allen (2016-2017), Assoc. Prof. Sekou Konneh (2017-2020) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Josephus M. Gray (2020-current). In the history of the College, five (5) persons have served the institution as an Acting Deans. There are: Dr. Richard R. Bond (1963), Dr. Advertus A. Hoff (acted from 1968-1969), Prof. Abraham L. James (acted from 1983-1984), Assoc. Prof. Steve M. Jubwe (acted from 2005-2010) and Dr. Samuel T. Kortue (acted from 2010-2011).
Today, the ACS College continues to make significant contributions to the Liberian society, enriching the fabric of higher education with its academic excellence and unique culture and heritage; and it stands out as the best among the rest in the Republic. At the heart of the College’s legacy lies a commitment to equality, access, and excellence in education and it has significantly contributed to higher education and society, standing out for its historical significance, unique programs, notable alumni and noble progress. Just last week, to be precise February 15th was the Founding Day of our great institution, a day that holds great significance in the history and tradition of our institution. It gives us a sense of history to remember our college. The day is not just a celebration of the past but a commitment to the future.
In the area of academic excellence, the College has a long standing commitment to academic excellence despite facing challenges such as persistent student protests, faculty boycotts, limited funding and lack of needed resources. The College has consistently produced high achieving graduates who excel in their chosen fields, while the institution is known for providing a supportive and nurturing environment that fosters intellectual growth, practical research critical thinking, and leadership skills. Regarding diversity and inclusion, our great College has been at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusion among the students and in higher education across the country and beyond its borders. The College continues to welcome students from diverse backgrounds and provide inclusive environments where students feel valued, respected, supported and given quality education, encouraging students to embrace their heritage while fostering a sense of unity and solidarity.
By all accounts, the first group of students was seven, three of them were recipients of the American Colonization Society’s (ACS) scholarships and the other four students were self-sponsored. The college is widely respected for being the first in the Republic of Liberia and second in West Africa and fifth on the African continent to be established and confer degrees. Since then, it continues to confer degrees in various disciplines. The College has a proud history of providing courses that help communities and individuals to grow and flourish, thus focusing on combining practical knowledge with quality learning and teaching.
The College remains driven by its commitment to the Liberian society and is dedicated to quality education and human development. Fortunately, the College has been driven by its commitment to society and provides quality programs and degrees in a flexible and supportive environment. At the college, high premium is placed on research, thesis defense and presentation, essay-based final exams to evaluate students’ writing skills and critical thinking in shaping their learning outcomes and approach to critical issues and subjects.
At the distinguished ACS College, students receive a top-quality education and at the same time faculty and students are equally held in an orbit of high standard. The College remains committed to empowering its students with requisite knowledge and practical skills vital to achieving personal and professional success in the changing local and global communities. The mission and vision of Amos C. Sawyer College are aligned with those of the University of Liberia. The vision is to transform the way that the world is understood, how knowledge is created, and how problems are approached and solved. The College was founded on an agenda of social responsibility to the Liberian Society and the world to provide educational access to the citizens and other nationals across the globe. The driving forces behind that agenda have become an integral part of the philosophy of the University of Liberia.
Liberia prides itself in having one of the oldest learning institutions not just on the African continent but in the world as well. Over the last one and half centuries, Amos C. Sawyer College (formerly Liberia College) has worked to build an institution with the adroitness to directly address the fluctuating academic challenges that the youthful population faces, and the college has grown over the century. It has been powered by continuous revolution and ongoing efforts to improve and provide quality education and research as well as to enhance students’ creative thinking and approaches to contemporary situations.
In 1951, the Amos C. Sawyer College (formerly Liberia College) and William V. S. Tubman College of Education (formerly William V. S. Tubman Teachers’ College) merged to form the University of Liberia through the Trustees of Donations for Education in Liberia (TDEL), based in the United States of America. For the record, Sawyer College is well-regarded and strongly valued because of its numerous achievements including being the first to confer degree in the Republic of Liberia and the producer of the highest college graduates at the University of Liberia and the country; the college turned 164 in February 2026.
The College has a very great prospects to be one of the best colleges in the world after years of proven gains and visible tangibles in the Republic of Liberia and beyond Liberia’s borders. It’s growing, uplifting and presents an opportunity for the people of Liberia in particular and West Africa in general. It is also a full environment with smart students, diligent staffs, dedicated faculty and esteemed professors with years of professional achievements. The best thing about the College is it is attractive to students and every day a new learning takes place where students get to explore new areas of knowledge and activities as frequent extra-activities. Above all, the College’s commitment to excellence and unwavering support is making lasting impact on students’ ‘lives and future career and stands out as the leader of tertiary education in the republic.
For the current academic year 2026, the Amos C. Sawyer College has 218 institutional staffs, 136 (62%) are full time, and 82(38%) are part-time faculty members. Additionally, the academic ranks of the college include 3(2%) Professors, 2(2%) Associate Professors and 14(10%) Assistant Professors and 78(57%) instructors, while 39(29%) are teaching Assistants respectively. Furthermore, of the 136 Full –time faculty, 10 (7 %) are doctorate holders, 85(63 %) represents master’s degree holders, while 41(30 %) are bachelor’s degree holders. the college offers 229 courses and 685 sections.
On a yearly basis, nearly 15,000 students pass through freshman and sophomore courses offered under the College (Departments of English and Language Studies, French Studies and Social Sciences). This figure excludes about 3,000 students majoring in various disciplines in the college. Amos Sawyer College students are required to fulfill four-year Baccalaureate degree requirement to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree. The minimum credit hours needed for completion of a specialized degree program is 124. Students are allowed to choose from the 12 academic degree granting departments to fulfill a four-year program to earn a degree.
Graduates from the College earn degrees in English, French, Demography, Geography, Sociology, Criminology, Social Work, History, Political Science, Communication and Media Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Chinese Language and Culture, as well as Fine and Performing Arts. The non-degree granting units are: Physical Education and Sports, Social Science, ROTC, Liberian Languages and Confucius Institute. At the college, three certificate and diploma program are in place for capacity building and career development for others who for particular reason might not want to pursue degree studies. The five programs are: (1) Joe W. Mulbah Center of Journalism and Public Relations (2) UL Center for Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing (3) Certificate in Statistics Program (CEST) and (4) Fine and Performing Arts diplomas and certificates program.
The College is an interesting place for every student due to its great history and legacies. It is a small, supportive community upon whose foundation the University of Liberia exists today. It is just a place where anyone soon know every face and remains committed to empowering its students with requisite knowledge and practical skills vital to achieving personal and professional success in the changing local and global communities. It is truly an amazing experience to be at the Amos C. Sawyer College of Social Sciences and Humanities-The CRADLE OF LIGHT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA.
