WOMEN WAR & PEACE | PBS

Oct. 18: Pray the Devil Back to Hell

October 18, 2011

Watch the full episode:

Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the astonishing story of the Liberian women who took on the warlords and regime of dictator Charles Taylor in the midst of a brutal civil war, and won a once unimaginable peace for their shattered country in 2003. As the rebel noose tightened around the capital city of Monrovia, thousands of women – ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim – formed a thin but unshakeable line between the opposing forces. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they literally faced down the killers who had turned Liberia into hell on earth. In one memorable scene, the women barricaded the site of stalled peace talks in Ghana and refused to move until a deal was done. Their demonstrations culminated in Taylor’s exile and the rise of Africa’s first female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Inspiring and uplifting, Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a compelling example of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations.

Watch the Promo

Credits for Pray the Devil Back to Hell

More from the Women, War & Peace series:

I Came to Testify
The moving story of how a group of 16 women who had been imprisoned and raped by Serb-led forces in the Bosnian town of Foca broke history’s great silence – and stepped forward to take the witness stand in an international court of law.
Peace Unveiled
Three women in Afghanistan are risking their lives to make sure women’s rights don’t get traded away in peace negotiations with the Taliban.
The War We Are Living
In Cauca, a mountainous region in Colombia’s Pacific southwest, two extraordinary Afro-Colombian women are braving a violent struggle over their gold-rich lands.
War Redefined
The capstone of Women, War & Peace challenges the conventional wisdom that war and peace are men’s domain through incisive interviews with leading thinkers, Secretaries of State and seasoned survivors of war and peace-making.

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Comments

  1. September 30, 2011 at 10:42 am
    m n says:

    I sure hope you repeat this again.. Good action.

    Reply
  2. October 5, 2011 at 8:29 am
    Jo'el Jones says:

    This story has to be told in the Urban Communities of America, people are not aware.

    Reply
  3. October 5, 2011 at 10:38 am
    Thomas Barlue says:

    Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a real fascinating story, as a Liberian, i can still remember when i was young!!!. I currently work in New York as an international fellow focus on Tolerance and Conflict Resolution, how can i get a copy of this for my work here and at home?

    Please email: mentor4proof@yahoo.com

    Reply
  4. October 10, 2011 at 10:16 am
    Ette Naj says:

    “Keep the force” my dear Sistha. “So many have hid, and still hide behind a bible. It is great testiment’s like these, that must flourish…to help explicate progression extinguishing the Mark’s The Crie’s and the lie’s we must not surrender. Peace and Love .

    Reply
  5. October 17, 2011 at 1:44 pm
    Danae says:

    I cannot find the timing for this anywhere.

    Reply
    • October 17, 2011 at 10:39 pm
      Dalaina says:

      Danae – if you look at the very top of the PBS webpage – and click on the link for TV schedule – the type in your Zip code, choose you cable provider and then you can see the time schedule for this show. It’s called Women, War And Peace – but the showing on Tuesday, Oct 18th is this one – Pray the Devil Back to Hell.

      Reply
  6. October 17, 2011 at 10:25 pm
    Mildred Howarter says:

    When will this be shown – again?

    Reply
  7. October 18, 2011 at 10:30 am
    manseen4change says:

    Cannot wait to watch this documentary!!! I’ve seen a few clips and I’ve heard GREAT things about it!

    Reply
  8. October 18, 2011 at 11:03 pm
    Michele Allen says:

    I realy love the way the woman stand and believe God will help the in trials times prayer changes things as long as we stand tograther no matter what faith we are from as long as you believe in Jesus Christ and know that He is the son of the living God,God bless always

    Reply
    • December 29, 2011 at 10:09 pm
      Child of God says:

      I too really loved it that there was faith in something greater than us. Something based in LOVE. (I personally call this God) And yet…these women DIDN’T ALL believe that Jesus is the Son of God…Muslims do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God. Neither do Jewish people. However, it WAS a group of women that were Christian and MUSLIM that prayed together. And yet apparently God still listened. Maybe God likes us all, and just doesn’t like war.

      Reply
      • February 28, 2012 at 4:00 pm
        Molly says:

        I do believe that God loves us all, and grieves with us over the atrocities we humans commit against one another. I am a Christian, but so much of Jesus’ message is not so much about himself, but about God, and how to live with one another. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus told us to love God and love each other. Amen. If we keep trying to do that we won’t be too far from where we need to be.

        I was profoundly moved by this series when it first aired last fall. I’m showing segments of it to my high school students in a class on social justice. There is such power in love and truth, a power far greater than violence. This video shows that power at work.

        Reply
  9. October 18, 2011 at 11:06 pm
    Tierney E. Hamilton says:

    Is it on DVD yet? We need it at my spiritual home now.

    Reply
  10. October 18, 2011 at 11:20 pm
    Eric the Hun says:

    What an awful culture and barbarian people! Was not Liberia largely populated by freed American slaves? I must admit to being glad they left!

    Reply
    • October 19, 2011 at 2:52 am
      Kam says:

      If you think that is an awful culture, you must not like Americans very much considering the atrocities that America has perpetuated.

      Reply
  11. October 18, 2011 at 11:20 pm
    Gracious says:

    God bless the women of that land…

    Reply
  12. October 18, 2011 at 11:42 pm
    ralph olson says:

    oh my god..just seen it tonight..how powerful and inspirational to all women,and men too for that matter…it was amazingly powerful indeed.

    Reply
  13. October 19, 2011 at 12:02 am
    KISCO says:

    This story brought tears to my eyes, as an African, i wonder why we have to go through this human degradation in this time and age. The massive corruption in my country Nigeria is eventually going to breed the kind of bloodshed that will make Somali and Rewanda look like a cild’s play; i pray that it never happens.
    As the president of the greatest power in the world, also as someone of African heritage , President Obama has both moral and ethical obligation to get rid of Africa the claws of corruption and corrupt governance

    Reply
  14. October 19, 2011 at 12:08 am
    rosa angelica says:

    I thank the lord for made me a free woman I’m glad that everything is over God bless all barbarian women

    Reply
  15. October 19, 2011 at 1:21 am
    daniella recavarren says:

    I am unable to watch this series because Time Warner has PBS on their HD pay extra service.
    I thought I was entitled to Public Broadcasting specially when I am a PBS supporter!!!
    This program should be available to as many as possible, is this a way to censor what the masses watch???

    Reply
  16. October 19, 2011 at 5:18 am
    Stephanie Ericsson says:

    I posted a blog entry on this film at http://www.stephericsson.com/2011/first-they-ignore-you/

    Reply
  17. October 19, 2011 at 3:08 pm
    ROBIN EVA says:

    Love, Union and Peace.

    Reply
  18. October 19, 2011 at 4:21 pm
    Anthony Smith says:

    Oh yes, I am a living witness to the works of those powerful women, our mothers, sisters, grand mothers and family members who put their lives on the line praying for Liberia during the crisis at the fishmarket field in sinkor. Indeed, they played an important and unforgotten role in bringing back peace to mama Liberia. I was on the Bushrod Island in Monrovia at the time.

    Reply
  19. October 20, 2011 at 6:33 pm
    LK says:

    What would the world be like if “WOMEN” ruled….. very powerful program, very powerful women.

    Reply
  20. October 21, 2011 at 1:25 am
    CAROL SISTER TO ALL says:

    I AM 61. NOT 1 DAY IN MY LIFETIME HAS THERE BEEN NO KILLING OR WAR. WOMEN BARE CHILDREN WHOSE DESTINY IS TO KILL OR BE KILLED. BECAUSE THAT IS ALL HUMANS KNOW. I WISH LEYMAH GBOWEE WAS THE WORLD’S LEADER. SHE UNDERSTANDS WAR+PEACE+HOW TO MAKE PEACE WORK + THAT IT IS WORK! I ALSO WISH I COULD BE HER PUPIL BECAUSE SHE HAS WISDOM BEYOND ANYONE. THE LIBERIAN WOMEN + WHAT THEY HAVE DONE+ARE STILL DOING SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN! THEY SHOWED WHAT ALL WOMEN CAN DO. THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN HAS NEVER BEEN TRIED SO HARD NOR PROVED SO COMPLETELY. ALL WOMEN CAN+MUST LEARN HOW STRONG THEY REALLY ARE. I WISH I WAS WISE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO BRING PEACE TO OUR ENTIRE PLANET FOR ALWAYS. MY SORROW IS MOST HUMANS EVEN THINK OF IT AS MORE THAN A JOKE+WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD WILL NOT EVEN TRY TO USE THEIR STRENGTH TO SUCH A PURPOSE. ALL THAT IS ME IS BROKEN WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE.

    Reply
  21. October 21, 2011 at 6:06 pm
    Lyn Benjamin says:

    I watched the program and oh my goodness!!First, congratulations and blessings to Mrs. Gbowee for her accomplishment..As a woman and a Liberian woman at that ,I am proud of you and all the thousands of brave souls that risk their lives and stood up to those I don’t know what to call them, for us all over the world.Thank you, thank you and may the good Lord continue to bring our country out of struggles…

    Reply
  22. October 25, 2011 at 12:20 am
    Jennifer says:

    It says “watch the full episode” above but it’s only 30-second preview. Will these be available for online viewing?

    Reply
  23. October 28, 2011 at 8:44 pm
    rashidatu says:

    Watching this episode reminds me about the first face of the war in 1990 when we were strugling very had to save our lives.Although i’m out of the country but i;m fully awear of most of the atrosities in liberia which have caused great setback in so many Liberians families I most thank and pray for those women who stood firm as women in the rains, sun and also sercrifice their lives to see that the war was ended and brought peace to our land of leberty and also those who lost their lives during the strugle.

    Reply
  24. November 3, 2011 at 8:11 pm
    mary pepper says:

    i’m a teacher and have had my 8th grade students research these remarkable ladies who demonstrate true courage. They inspire my school as well as the Occupy Oakland movement.

    Reply
  25. November 5, 2011 at 5:43 am
    Jane Roth says:

    Cannot view this video….i have been taged but cannot view it…help somebody

    Reply
  26. November 8, 2011 at 10:24 pm
    Thomas Dent says:

    Leyman, u and your comrades ,the women peace network,will go into history as the bravest women in your time, to have challenged armed rebels terrorising your country and suceeded in ending the brutality. We are grately proud of you. Continued success !!!!! Tom

    Reply
  27. November 13, 2011 at 8:38 pm
    kayla gluck says:

    When will this series be repeated and why was Pray the Devil not included in the DVD set…May it be purchased separately?
    Thanks…Kayla Gluck

    Reply
  28. November 23, 2011 at 2:18 pm
    Gaby Anastazia says:

    These event’s were incredible, I got goosebumps watching this document. The power God gives us to overcome anything hindering our lives, is well displayed. The women of Liberia have inspired me to be a better woman. God Bless you all

    Reply
  29. November 24, 2011 at 12:16 pm
    JoAnn Soto says:

    I’m currently working on a Peace Movement in the Bronx, NY. My breaking point was when I lost my only child Londell Byrd to gun violence. My son had a promising future, he was Graduating from Mt. St Michael Academy June 2011 and going to College Fall 2011. December 4, 2011 we will have his Vigil, the vigil will be for ALL victims of violence in our community. This has to STOP! We are suffering too much and losing our Children. Please Pray that this Peace Movement will happen in NYC! PEACE, JoAnn Soto

    Reply
  30. November 24, 2011 at 1:47 pm
    Deborah Beach says:

    As women we often forget the power we posses when we put on the Armor of Christ. Continue to be strong and courageous and many women will continue to be inspired by the struggled of the Liberan women and only when we stand up for our self then will people stand up for us.

    Reply
  31. January 21, 2012 at 1:35 pm
    Sandy Wright says:

    I thank God for your courage, faith and perseverence and your voices during and after the war conflict. It is so important to world peace that your stories be told and sung. Women have power and together as we claim our right for peace and non violence that peace will happen. Women of America need to rise for Justice and peace and stop the wars we have supported. I pray for your courage. We are all one.

    Reply
  32. February 19, 2012 at 9:40 am
    akila richards says:

    Oh you reminded me again what women can do when they get together across faith with a common goal of peace. I am immensely proud of my country women and our president Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, receiver of the Nobel Peace Prize. Women stand in your power in peace and love. So, so proud!

    Reply
  33. February 21, 2012 at 3:25 pm
    Pewee Flomoku says:

    Hay I am writing in this public forum seeking readdress for the way I have been treated by ( A group calling itself Thirteen/Wnet. They ask to use my footage( photos and films in their production since October 2011, We signed an agreement that I could be paid in 60days. Today Feb.21,2012. I have tried every possible means to get my payment for the footage( Liberian women) but no one seems to be paying any attention.I feel very disappointed that I am being treated with such disrespect and with no regards for what I went though to get those photos and shots. I am only coming public now because I have tried all other means to settle matter and its not working.can anyone please help?

    Reply
  34. March 2, 2012 at 6:34 am
    CheeHock Ong says:

    Our Trust in God is always our Guide to Peace prosperity

    Reply
  35. March 26, 2012 at 7:04 pm
    Philip James says:

    I am so move by this episode. I wish the war had not happen. I sadly enjoy the film. God bless you.

    Reply

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