Mary Brownell

Mary Nema Brownell (12 March 1929 – 14 March 2017), known as Ma Mary, was a Liberian peace activist and educator. She was founder of the Liberia Women Initiative (LWI) and mobilised women to engage in the peacebuilding process following the Liberian Civil Wars.

Early life and education

Mary Nema Brownell was born on 12 March 1929 in Cavalla, Maryland, Liberia.^[1][2] She moved with her family to Monrovia aged 5 and attended the Suehn Baptist Mission's school in Bomi County from 1937.^[1]

Brownell studied an elementary education degree at the University of Liberia, graduating in 1960, then studied a masters degree in school supervision at the University of San Francisco in San Francisco, California, United States.^[3] After returning to Liberia, she worked as a schoolteacher.^[4][5]

Activism

During the First Liberian Civil War (1989–1997), Brownell founded and became the head of the Liberia Women Initiative (LWI, a non-partisan organisation) in January 1994.^[6][7][8] The LWI was sucessor of the Liberian Federation of Women's Organizations, which had been banned in 1980.^{[9][page needed]} Through the LWI, Brownell mobilized Liberian women to engage in the peacebuilding process and politics.^[3][4] The LWI took a unifed stance and campaigned for disarmament, free and transparent elections, education and the reunification of the country, which were implemented in 1997.^[10]

When conflict resumed in the Second Liberian Civil War (1999–2003), Browell continued to advocate for peace through the women's initiative Marwopnet (Mano River Women’s Peace Network).^[1][10] Brownell was said to have forced a meeting between the President of Liberia Charles Taylor and President of Guinea Lansannah Conte, who refused to engage with each other. She said during a meeting with Conte that: "you and President Taylor have to meet as men and iron out your differences, and we women want to be present. We will lock you in this room until you come to your senses, and I will sit on the key." After this was translated into French, Conte laughed and responded: "What man do you think would say that to me? Only a woman could do such a thing and get by with it."^[11] Subsequent negotiations led to the Comprehensive Peace Accord in Accra, Ghana (2003).^[12]

Brownell was a later member of the Federation of African Women's Peace Network,^[13] was president of the Women Development Association of Liberia (WODAL),^{[citation needed]} and was commissioner of the Liberian National Elections Commission (NEC).^[14] She gave testimony at the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in August 2008.^[14][12]

In 2005, Brownell was named as a Nobel Peace Prize 1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe (PWAG).^[10] In 2006, she was named as Ambassador for Peace by the Interreligious and International Foundation for World Peace.^[2]

In 2012, Brownell called for Liberian women to begin grooming a woman candidate to replace President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf after her term in office ended in 2017.^[8]

In 2014, Brownell volunteered to combat Ebola with the Servants of Africa Fighting Ebola (SAFE).^[1]

Personal life

Brownell had five children with her husband Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh Sr,^[14] including Miatta Fahnbulleh, singer and human rights activist, and Henry Boimah Fahnbulleh Jr, educator, politician and diplomat.^[3] Her grandchildren include British politician Miatta Fahnbulleh and broadcast journalist Gamal Fahnbulleh.

Brownell was a member of the Episcopal Church of Liberia.^[15]

Death

Brownell died on 14 March 2017 in Monrovia, Liberia, aged 88.^{[1][3][12][14][16]}

References

1. ^ "Legendary Female Progressive Icon -Liberia Celebrates Mary Nema Brownell’s Legacy". Analyst Liberia. 2022-03-14. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
2. ^ Young, Amanda Verdery (2017-02-08). "Mary N. Brownell". Women In Peace. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
3. ^ Sieh, Rodney (2017-03-14). "Mother Mary Brownell, Renowned Liberian Civil Society Activist, Educator, Dies at 88". FrontPageAfrica. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
4. ^ Anderlini, Sanam Naraghi (2007). Women Building Peace: What They Do, why it Matters. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-58826-512-8.
5. ^ Turshen, Meredeth & Twagiramariya, Clotilde (1998). What Women Do in Wartime: Gender and Conflict in Africa. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-85649-538-7.
6. ^ Liberian Women Peacemakers: Fighting for the Right to be Seen, Heard and Counted. African Women and Peace Support Group, Africa World Press. 2004. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-59221-251-4.
7. ^ Armon, Jeremy & Carl, Andy (1996). The Liberian Peace Process, 1990-1996. Conciliation Resources.
8. ^ "LIBERIA: 'Another Female President in 2017' Mother Mary Brownell Suggests". Liberian Observer. 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2026-03-25. – via PeaceWomen.
9. ^ Montclos, Marc-Antoine Pérouse de (2012). Les humanitaires dans la guerre: des idéaux à l'épreuve de la politique (in French). La Documentation française.
10. ^ "Mary Brownell". PeaceWomen Across the Globe. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
11. ^ Cockburn, Cynthia (2007-02-12). From Where We Stand: War, Women’s Activism and Feminist Analysis. Zed Books. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-84277-821-0.
12. ^ Kollie, Martin K. N. (2017-04-10). "The Legacy of a Heroine Par Excellence". The New Dawn Liberia. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
13. ^ Building a Women's Peace Agenda: Based on Discussions at the May 1999 Hague Appeal for Peace Conference. New York Gender Focus Group of the Hague Appeal for Peace. 2001. p. 19.
14. ^ Barrett, Lindsay (2017-04-15). "Adieu, Ma Mary Brownell". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2026-03-25.
15. ^ Africa Today. Vol. 3. Afro Media. 1997. p. 26.
16. ^ "Pres. Akufo-Addo Adores Liberia’s Mary Brownell -Describes Her A “Lively Personality” of Great Stature". Analyst Liberia. 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2026-03-25.