Liberia National Anthem

All Hail, Liberia, Hail!

Written 1847

Adopted 1847

Lyrics Daniel Bashiel Warner

Music Olmstead Luca

🕊 Freedom ✝ God / Faith ❤ Love of homeland 🤝 Unity | Majestic

Key Facts

1. In 1978 a national commission set up to remove divisive elements from Liberia's national symbols recommended replacing the word 'benighted' in the line 'We'll shout the freedom of a race benighted' with 'undaunted'; the change was never made
2. The composer, Olmstead Luca, was an African-American pianist from the Luca Family Singers who moved to Liberia around 1860 to teach music
3. By 1914 Liberia and Ethiopia were the only African states still independent of European rule; Ethiopia was occupied by Italy in 1936

Liberia National Anthem Lyrics

All hail, Liberia, hail! All hail, Liberia, hail! This glorious land of liberty Shall long be ours. Though new her name, Green be her fame, And mighty be her powers, In joy and gladness With our hearts united, We'll shout the freedom Of a race benighted. Long live Liberia, happy land! A home of glorious liberty, By God's command! All hail, Liberia, hail! All hail, Liberia, hail! In union strong success is sure, We cannot fail! With God above Our rights to prove, We will o'er all prevail, With heart and hand Our country's cause defending, We'll meet the foe With valor unpretending. Long live Liberia, happy land! A home of glorious liberty, By God's command!

Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals

Analysis

Editorial

The words were written by Daniel Bashiel Warner, who later became Liberia's third president, and were adopted when Liberia declared independence in 1847; Olmstead Luca's music was adopted in 1860. Liberia had been settled from 1822 by freed and free-born African Americans, and both of the anthem's authors were born in the United States.