Legacy Talk with Sylvia Arthur

Telling Our Stories: Memory, Archives and Legacy from 'A Women's Oral History of West Africa' by Sylvia Arthur.

About November’s Legacy Talk
In this Legacy Talk, we will sit down with Sylvia Arthur to explore the methodology behind A Women’s Oral History of West Africa, uncover the transformative power of archiving, and provide audiences with practical insights on how they can preserve and engage with history themselves.

Themes of the Talk:

• The Practice and Methodology
• Reclaiming the Narratives: The Process of Archiving Our Stories
• The Power of the Archive: What We Learn by Listening and Preserving
• Tools for Preservation: Archiving Skills for Family and Community

About the Project:

A Women’s Oral History of West Africa is a groundbreaking project founded and led by Sylvia Arthur, dedicated to documenting the lives of women aged 60 and above across West Africa. By capturing the stories of women who have lived through independence, military coups, social upheaval, economic hardship, civil war, migration, technological change, and ecological crises, the project creates an alternative, postcolonial history of the region—from the perspective of its women.

Sylvia has traveled along the West African coast, from Nigeria in the east to Senegal in the west, meeting everyday women in coastal communities and documenting their stories. These are women who rarely appear in mainstream histories: market women, fisherwomen, teachers, seamstresses, widows, mothers, and queen mothers. They are the matriarchs and custodians of African culture, memory, and institutions.

The first phase of the project has collected 100 stories—25 from each of four mainland countries: Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. Each story is captured in the women’s own voices and languages, weaving a rich oral tapestry that individually tells unique human stories, but collectively narrates the herstory of West Africa over the past 60+ years.

Supported by the National Geographic Society and running from 2022–2025, the project has garnered attention from publications such as The Guardian and The Continent.

Learn more and follow the project online:

• Website: awomensoralhistory.africa
• Listen to the 1st episode: on Soundcloud
• Signup to the project newsletter

Date: Friday, November 21, 2025

Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm GMT

About our November Speaker:

Sylvia Arthur is a storyteller and strategic communicator who uses narrative to build organisations, influence policy, and drive social change. She is the founder of the Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora (LOATAD) in Accra, Ghana, a decolonising library, archive, and research institute. A Ford Global Fellow and National Geographic Explorer, Sylvia is documenting the stories of African women aged 60+ to restore their voices to history through an expansive oral archive.

She is a two-time TEDx speaker, Africa No Filter Narrative Champion, Creative Activism Award recipient, and was named Literary Person of the Year by Brittle Paper in 2023. Sylvia serves on the boards of CineFemFest and Instituto Sacatar and advises is a member of the advisory committee for the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center centennial celebrations.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Hale/National Geographic Society

About YAC's Legacy Talks: Today’s Trailblazers Series

Aligned with our goal of cultivating future trailblazers, we believe in connecting with and learning from leaders across various fields and industries. Their shared experiences, lessons, and journey act like an enduring flame that continually grows brighter.

The Talks are held either virtually via Zoom or in person at the Africa Centre, at the end of each month, using an “In conversation’ format that creates an open space for leaders to discuss key themes related to their backgrounds and successes.