The African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) was founded by Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr., the 112^th Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) and the 26^th Bishop of the 14^th Episcopal District.

This vision was an actualization of the dream of the 8^th Bishop of the 14^th Episcopal District, Rt. Rev. William Sampson Brooks. His plan to transform the present Monrovia College and Industrial Training School into a four-year degree-granting institution did not materialize as such, but it did come to fruition with Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr. The Rev. David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr., Pastor of Eliza Turner Memorial   AME Church who wanted a four-year degree granting University persuade Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr. to establish the AME University. The doors of the African Methodist Episcopal University were opened in 1995.

Upon the recommendation of the Rev. David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr., President of the Liberia Annual Conference Board of Directors, Dr. Louise C. York who was President of Monrovia College was appointed by Bishop Garnett Henning as the first President of AME University.

This recommendation was endorsed by the Board of Directors of the Liberia Annual Conference and the newly organized AME University Board of Trustees.

It was decided that it would be a project of the 14^th Episcopal District of the AME Church comprising Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, La Corte D’Ivoire, Togo/Benin, and Liberia.  Accordingly, it became part of the resolution taken to the First District Planning Meeting held in Accra, Ghana, from November 16 through November 19, 1993, called and presided over by Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr. At the planning meeting, it was unanimously approved that the opening of a four-year degree-granting University in Liberia become a Fourteenth Episcopal District project and that all funds for development would be channeled to this project.  This resolution was later ratified by the Liberia Annual Conference at its session held at Susan Brooks AME Church with Bishop Henning presiding.

On March 28, 1994, Bishop Garnett Henning appointed an interim administration for the AME Church University comprised of M. Wilkins Wright, G. H. Lincoln Stewart, and Rev. Dr. E. Topo Johnson.  Later, Mr. J. Edmund Chenoweth, Sr., was named as the Liaison to coordinate the administrative office.  The Interim Leadership Team was charged with the responsibility to lay the necessary groundwork for the opening of the four-year degree-granting institution.  On November 12, 1994, the committee submitted its initial report comprised of an Introduction and twelve activities Critical areas included ensuring that the legal and educational requirements be met, a curriculum developed, a selection process for the president, vice president, administration,  an academic and staff be put in place. The next step was preparing a budget and recommending tuition and fees.   

In April 1995, the Interim Administration submitted its final report, which was approved by the Rt. Rev. C. Garnett Henning, Sr., and endorsed by the Liberian Annual Conference.  

In May 1995, Dr. Louise C. York, who had served Monrovia College and Industrial Training School for thirty-four unbroken years, with twenty-one years as president, was named the first President of the African Methodist Episcopal University and subsequently inaugurated on June 6, 1995.  Rev. David R. Daniels, Jr.  Pastor of Eliza Turner Memorial AME Church played a pivotal role in single-handedly securing the Charter of AME University that was approved and adopted by the Liberian Legislature headed by Speaker Morris Dukuly supported by AME in the Legislature on February 28, 1996, and published by authority of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Monrovia, Liberia January 17, 1997.  Article I. CREATION OF A UNIVERSITY simply stated that "There is hereby created a post-secondary, degree-granting institution of higher learning which is hereby made a legal and corporate body with perpetual succession, owned by the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

African Methodist Episcopal University of the AME Church in Liberia, under the governance of the Board of Trustees of the University, with name, objective, rights, and prerogatives as hereinafter set forth.  The University shall be perpetually maintained in this Republic for the education of the people of this and other countries, and for all who seek its privileges."

Today, AMEU is centrally located in the nation's capital, Monrovia, Liberia.  It is a private church-owned co-educational four-year degree-granting institution.  Undergraduate programs are offered in three colleges:  Bryant Theological Seminary, Business and Public Administration, and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.  Bryant Theological Seminary is the first College of the AME University system.  It was founded on April 10, 1992, by the then Rev. David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr., Pastor of Eliza Turner Memorial AME Church, with the help of a Ministerial Committee organized by him. Rev. David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. founder of the Seminary chose to name the seminary in honor of Bishop John Richard Bryant and Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant to train AME Church pastors in the Liberia Annual Conference.  With the three colleges identified and students selected, the university was slated to open in April 1996.

However, the civil war was on.  Hostilities broke out, and Dr. York left the country.  When calm returned Dr. Henry Kwekwe, Vice President for Administration, was appointed Acting President.  It was during his six months tenure as Acting President that the university was officially opened and classes commenced.  By July 2, 1996, at the General Conference Bishop Adams J. Richardson was elected and consecrated the 115th Bishop of the AME Church. Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr. was assigned to the 14th Episcopal District making him the 27th Presiding Prelate of the 14th Episcopal District and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of AME University.  In October 1997, Dr. York resumed office as President.  During her second year of administration, there were 835 students, and the student population for the academic year 1999-2000 was over 1,000.00.  Dr, York hooded the first graduates from the Bryant Theological Seminary on March 17, 1999.  It was during Dr. York's tenure that in its quest for academic excellence in providing education for manpower development in the 14th Episcopal District, the Liberian Annual Conference donated six (6) buildings, including the Monrovia College building.  During the 110th session of the Liberian Annual Conference held March 22-26, 2000, the Jordan Agricultural Institute was brought under the administration and programmatic arms of AMEU.  Bishop Adams Jefferson Richardson had left his legacy. Bishop Adam J. Richardson also purchased the “Richardson Center” which is now occupied by the Empowerment Temple AME Church at the Tubman Boulevard and Catholic Hospital junction for the 14th Episcopal District Office.

In July 2000 Bishop Richard Franklin Norris was elected and consecrated as the 116th Bishop and assigned as the 28th Bishop of the 14th Episcopal District.  The Monrovia College buildings that the Liberia Annual Conference had turned over to AMEU were now the source of classrooms and administrative uses and were burned down by rebels during the civil war.   As Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Bishop Norris saw the need to move forward in renovating and rebuilding the three-story building (formally Monrovia College) which was burned down during the first civil war between December 1989 to 1996. The building project and construction under Bishop Norris, however, had to come to a halt because of a lack of funds.  In 2003 the civil war had just ended and sources of revenue were still not readily available.  Dr. Louise C. York continued her administration.  Construction of the Student Center was begun but not completed.  In April 2004, Dr. York retired and left to go to the United States for a medical check-up and to attend the AMEC General Conference.  Honorable Edward Forh, the Vice President for Administration, was appointed Head of a Management Team to steer the affairs of the University.

A great moment in history took place at the Quadrennial Session of the General Church in July 2004. The General Conference elected its first West African born son of Liberia as Bishop in the person of Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. the 124th elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The General Conference assigned Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. to 14th thus making him the 29th assigned Presiding Prelate of the 14th Episcopal District and Chairman of AME University. His partner in marriage and ministry, Mrs. Irene Moifoi Daniels, also became the first West African Episcopal Supervisor in the AME Church and that of the 14th Episcopal District. Just like his predecessors, Bishop Daniels would be faced with many challenges, but even greater opportunities for the church and the African Methodist Episcopal University.  He was prepared for the task.

Dr. York retired in July 2004.  On September 30, 2004, Honorable Forh was named acting president for the Commencement Convocation. Under Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr.’s dynamic leadership and also as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of AME University, phenomenal growth became evident.  This is reflected in the accounts of the leadership of the University from July 2004 to the present.

From November 1, 2004, to December 31, 2006, Dr. Levi B. Zangai served as the second elected President.  The Monrovia College building was completed in 2006.  This completion was made possible through a grant that Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. personally pursued, negotiated, and acquired. Bishop Daniels got over a million dollar grant from the United States’ Ambassador, Ambassador John Branley, and USAID in Monrovia, Liberia for AME University. This was a divine breakthrough for the rapid growth of the University.

This six story structure including a basement was a shared vision of Bishop David Rwhynica and Supervisor Irene Moifoi Daniels.  They saw a "building within a building."  Bishop Daniels communicated this concept to the US Ambassador, the architect, contractor, and what resulted were four stories of classrooms in the center of the building surrounded by corridors with additional classrooms on the outer boundaries.  The 6th floor has a 900 seats auditorium with a surround that provides a fantastic view of the City of Monrovia.  It was now time to rename the building.  Without giving attention to those who suggested that the building be named after Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr., he proposed the naming of the building as the Hatcher Henning Norris Multi Resource Center.   It was approved by the University Board of Trustees. He also proposed that the 900 seaters auditorium be on the sixth floor and was named after Congressman Jim L. Clyburn who had befriended and unwaveringly supported the Bishop from his college days at Allen University in Columbia. South Carolina USA. Congressman Jim

Clyburn of South Carolina supported and is still supporting the Bishop. The people of South Carolina United States of America have always supported the Bishop and his ministry. The AME University Board of Trustees accepted and approved his recommendation. During the Dedication of the six stories building, Congressman Jim L. Clyburn headed a Congressional delegation from the United States of America to Liberia, and the former House Speaker of the United States, Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi was among those who came to AME University. It was a historical moment for the new University.

AME University became a member of the Association of Liberian Universities in 2006.  Memoranda of Understanding were formulated with several U.S. universities and other universities in Sierra Leone. Student enrollment continued to rise.

After Dr. Zangai resigned, an Interim Management Team was appointed by Bishop Daniels in January 2007.  Honorable Josephine George Francis served as chairperson. 

The Board of Trustees empowered Bishop Daniels to appoint Dr. D. Musuleng Cooper as Acting President while the AME University’s Search Committee did their due diligence. Dr. D. Musuleng Cooper took the helm in April 2007, serving as Acting President for five months as the search for a President continued. Her leadership and administrative skills kept the university academically viable, fiscally sound, and student-centered.  While the search committee worked, Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. and encouraged Dr. Jean Bell Manning to apply for the position of President, though she was the Vice President at Langton University and wanted to retire. She was unanimously elected by the University's Board of Trustees as the 3rd President of AME University and assumed the presidency on September 1, 2007, upon the approval of Bishop Daniels. The third elected President of AME University an extraordinary hardworking Academician was excited and knew just what the University needed to grow rapidly. She came in prepared, hit the ground running, and transformed the University positively. 

During Dr. Manning's administration (2007-2013), the university had undergone several facelifts and institutional transformations. 

The Students' Center was completed with a seating capacity of 120 students. The Bryant-Adams-Manning Administrative building that houses the Office of the President and Library was built and completed in 2011 debt free, with the overwhelming and practical support from the dynamic visionary leader and Chairman, Bishop Daniels, and the extraordinary AME University Trustees Board. The Library houses the growing collections of books, journals government documents, and educational media.  A special African studies collection and online database were instituted as well as a fully equipped microcomputer laboratory.  Under Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. and Supervisor Dr. Irene Moifoi Daniels over 40 buildings were built including many at AME University.

The Hatcher-Henning-Norris Human Resources Center became the academic hub.  It houses three computer laboratories, a science laboratory, and classrooms.  It also currently houses the deans of the three colleges, Associate Vice President of Curriculum and Planning, Institutional Research, chairpersons, and faculty lounges. The ground floor has been transformed into a study hall with a seating capacity of 150.  Immediately to the right of the academic building is the Intellectual Palava Hut, built in 2008.  It is a platform for forums, speakers, workshops, debates, and intellectual discourse.  It can seat up to 400 people.  Louise C. York Palava Hut was refurbished.

Other projects were completed in 2008.  Annex II is a three-story structure that has been totally renovated to house the Office of Admissions, Records and Registration, Student Affairs, Counseling, Sports activity, and the Student Government Association.  

Annex III was renovated to house the offices of Human Resources and Public Relations.  Bishop and Supervisor Mother Irene Moifoi Daniels envision and stated endowment funds for AME University in 2005. The initial endowment of $25,000 that Bishop John Hurst Adams and Dr. Dolly Adams gave in January 2006 grew to over $250,000 by 2008.  By the end of  Bishop and Mother Daniels’ episcopacy in the 14th Episcopal District in July 2012, the endowment Fund which they named “John Hurst ADAMS AME University Endowment Funds in honor of the retired Senior Bishop, Bishop John Hurst Adams, had grown to ($406,000.00) four hundred and six thousand dollars.

The Adamses continue to give to the endowment and encourage others to help ensure the future of AME University. However, most of the endowment funds came from Bishop and Supervisor Daniels’ initiative and friends.

In 2008 the Richardson-Adams Health Center was completed.  The Richardson-Adams Health Center is one of several visions of Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr. and Supervisor Irene M. Daniels geared toward the fulfillment of one of their Episcopacy goals: The 3E’s. The 14th Episcopal’s Mission Statements, "Administering to the Physical Needs of Mankind” in general, and the wonderful Students of AME University.   The center is located in the heart of Monrovia and has the potential to serve thousands of underprivileged persons within the surrounding communities. 

Enrollment has grown steadily over the years. In the fall of 2011, enrolment was 3,212 students, and by the fall of 2022, enrollment was 6,256 (about a 100% increment).

AMEU is a fully-fledged accreditated University by the Commission of Higher Education within the Ministry of Education of Liberia.

AME University is involved in the following activities:

• Expanding academic resources to include recruiting and retaining academically prepared faculty, increased endowment to support scholarships and professorships, and intensified and increased international partnerships.
• Establishing new colleges and programs, providing more academic choices for students to become contributing members of society.
• Collaborating with other universities and partners to upgrade faculty and staff development, impact infrastructure, and research development, and implement community service learning programs.
• Emphasizing student support and recruitment by increasing student scholarship levels, strengthening admissions standards, and recruiting students with leadership, service, and character development.
• Providing global education for opportunities for international experiences for students and faculty and short-term Study Abroad experiences for students. 
• Expanding academic facilities and technology, building and renovating facilities
• Strengthening ties with the extended AMEU family to direct resources for life-long learning and relationship building for alumni, improving communication with Monrovia College, AME schools, and others, and assisting alumni in formally organizing chapters wherever alumni reside.
• Expanding athletics to integrate student abilities more fully into the life of AMEU.
• Improving fundraising for endowment, scholarships, and capital Improvements.

The current history making activities are a continuation of a proud tradition of transforming challenges and opportunities into accomplishments which demonstrate that AMEU is constantly "In Pursuit of Excellence."

At the General Conference in Nashville, Tennessee the long serving General Secretary/ CIO of the AME Church, Rev. Clement W. Fugh was elected and consecrated the 131st Bishop of the AME Church and assigned to the 14th Episcopal District as the 30th Presiding Prelate of the District. Dr. Jean Bell Manning having grown the AME University to be the second largest University in Liberia, next to the University of Liberia requested retirement. Bishop Fugh ordered AME University to begin a search for her replacement.

In 2012, Dr. Joseph Isaac was elected by the AME University Board of Trustees and consequently appointed the fourth President of AME University by Bishop Clement W. Fugh.

In 2016 Bishop E. Earl McCloud the 127th elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was assigned to the 14th Episcopal District as the 31st Presiding Prelate. Under his leadership, Bishop C. Garett Henning, Sr. building was built, and it hosts the AME University School of Graduate Studies.

Through divine providence, and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, in 2020 Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr. appointed the young dynamic Rev. Alvin Edward Attah, Pastor of Eliza Turner Memorial Church, as Acting President, and subsequently the AME University Board of Trustees elected him as the 5th President of AME University in April 2021. He is doing an extraordinary job. To God be the glory!

Currently, Bishop Paul J.M Kawimbe, the 121^st elected and consecrated Bishop of the AME Church and assigned to the 14^th Episcopal District serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Under his visionary leadership, the College of Agriculture was established in 2022 and a permanent commencement site for the University was birthed at the Jordan Agriculture Institute in the Township of Royesville, Montserrado County, Liberia.

COMMITMENT

African Methodist Episcopal University, (AMEU) a distinctly Christian higher learning community, will continue to Accelerate, Mobilize,  Empower, and Utilize all resources to build a comprehensive academic milieu capable of providing skills, technological expertise, critical evaluations, problem solving, and forward thinking necessary to move the citizens of the 14th Episcopal District and others into meaningful participation in global affairs.  The University will draw on the 1928 dream of Bishop W. Sampson Brooks and the legacy of those who followed, whose faith, moral commitments, and tenacity shaped this institution into what we enjoy and what we will become.