IPNews-Monrovia: Former Deputy Immigration Boss for Administration, Attorney Archie P. Williams, has taken Facebook by storm which his usual flash back on reoccurrences of the past.
For nearly a year now, Williams has been admired by his followers for his exactitude in bringing to focus current happenings with similar happenings of the past which made headlines of major newspapers of the 60s, 70s 80s, and 90s.
An Appreciation for History
It is a calling Williams says began as far back as when he was a kid. “Based on my childhood desire, and appreciation for history I took interest in the collection of newspapers, and archival documents for future reference,” he says.
Since then Williams says he has been duly cognizant of political occurrences, and its precepts that revolved in cycles. “It is historical, and archival documentations that serve as information galore for posterity, and others to reflect and make an inform decision.”
Against this backdrop, he says, he took interest to personally archived documents, and newspapers.
While many are quick to pay homage to Williams whenever he rips headlines out of the history books, he says, it is not an easy endeavor. “My newspapers are arranged based on sensitive topics that I perceived to have the tendency or likelihood of reoccurrence. So, based on the daily headlines from all media outlets, (print, and electronics), I thereafter embarked upon sleepless nights researching amongst the thousands of newspapers and archival documents which are juxtaposed to reflect, and, or gel with current realities.”
Williams says current developments in Liberia warrants constant reminders of how things were and how not so far removed Liberia is from its recent historical memories.
“My newspapers are arranged based on sensitive topics that I perceived to have the tendency or likelihood of reoccurrence. So, based on the daily headlines from all media outlets, (print, and electronics), I thereafter embarked upon sleepless nights researching amongst the thousands of newspapers and archival documents which are juxtaposed to reflect, and, or gel with current realities.”
– Archie P. Williams, Center for Historical Information & Archives Research
Headlines Reflect Trending Realities
His headlines go back more than sixty years and often timely, mimicking today’s realities and features newspapers such as the Liberian Age, Liberian Star, the Daily Observer, currently the oldest newspaper in circulation and a host of others.
Just last week when the opposition Alternative National Congress expressed its opposition to the Weah Step Down campaign, stating that it was not in line with the constitution and undemocratic, Williams plucked a page from October 2013, when Aloysious Toe, the current Secretary General of the Alternative National Congress(ANC), who was an advocate at the time took issue with the opposition Liberty Party for not siding with calls for former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to step down.
At the time, Toe described corruption which rampant in the Sirleaf government as an impeachable offense, contradicting his stance today.
Williams began generating buzz nearly two years ago, posting his old newspaper headlines in the Darius Dillon Center for Intellectual Exchange on Facebook, introducing his followers to several editions of past newspapers’ topical issues that made headlines which similarly reflected current trending realities.
This week, Williams, in a bid to broaden his scope for further enhancement, launched the Archie P. Williams Center for Historical Information, and Archives Research which will primarily focus on all aspects of historical perspectives, and archival research.
Williams assures his followers that he has abundant resources to satisfy the quest and craving of news junkies and others desiring to utilize the center for other worthy purposes.
Although the collection and recycling of yesterday’s news is his pastime, Williams sees it as a much-needed necessity for today’s generation of Liberians, to whom he hails for encouraging him to keep on flooding his social media haven with old headlines. “It was necessary based on the overwhelming goodwill of well-wishers, both at home, and abroad, including most end users who gave me their moral support through messages, and calls with recommendations to further enhance the scope of my endeavor,” Williams avers.
Through he chose to launch his historical page with a broader perspective that will exclusively deal with historical occurrences as reflected through the media and other archival documentations, Williams says it took enormous resources to do so. “Based on my passion and desire, I surmounted the odds, and made sacrifices.”
How it All Started
Williams’ thirst for the old news started when he was still a young man but it was during the late 1980s, based on his passion for history, and research, that he began buying newspapers and other archival materials.
When the war subsided, he says he was opportune to come across thousands of newspapers and archival documents littered on the streets in Monrovia. “I started collecting and storing them. I even went as far as collecting tons from dump sites after a clean-up campaign organized by Monrovia City Corporation(MCC), shortly after the infamous Octopus in 1992.”
At that time, Williams recalls, he resided in Logan Town which was a safe area under INPFL. Following the April 6 madness, Carey Street was a hot marketplace where all loots were displayed and sold by fighters of all warring parties. “It was dubbed “Buy your own thing market.”
It was there, Williams says he came across an AFL soldier with three barrels full with newspapers, and other archival materials. “We negotiated, and despite looming hunger, I sacrificed and purchased the barrels over a period of three weeks. I stored them at my friend residence, and subsequently transferred them at my Logan Town residence.”
So, while many were looting people’s homes for goodies, Williams was enhancing his knowledge and creating a historical reservoir, often providing a painful factual reminder of Liberia’s past.
Today, he says, he feels elated, and fulfilled that his efforts are being appreciated. “That nothing is absolute, and permanent! That we have passed this road long before today; and we will continue if the necessary reforms and changes are not effectuated.” (Courtesy of Frontpage Africa)
