Patrice Lumumba

by Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja

Patrice Lumumba was a leader of the independence struggle in what is today the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the country’s first democratically elected prime minister. After a meteoric rise in the colonial civil service and the African political elite, he became a major figure in the decolonization movement of the 1950s. Lumumba’s short tenure as prime minister (1960–1961) was marked by an uncompromising defense of Congolese national interests against pressure from international mining companies and the Western governments that orchestrated his eventual demise. Cold war geopolitical maneuvering and well-coordinated efforts by Lumumba’s domestic adversaries culminated in his assassination at the age of thirty-five, with the support or at least the tacit complicity of the U.S. and Belgian governments, the CIA, and the UN Secretariat. Even decades after Lumumba’s death, his personal integrity and unyielding dedication to the ideals of self-determination, self-reliance, and pan-African solidarity assure him a prominent place among the heroes of the twentieth-century African independence movement and the worldwide African diaspora. Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja’s short and concise book provides a contemporary analysis of Lumumba’s life and work, examining both his strengths and his weaknesses as a political leader. It also surveys the national, continental, and international contexts of Lumumba’s political ascent and his swift elimination by the interests threatened by his ideas and practical reforms.

Genres: Africa, History, Biography, Nonfiction, Politics, Belgium, Biography Memoir

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Edina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Africa will write its own history, and it will be from North to South of the Sahara a history of glory and dignity." - Patrice Lumumba

[Edvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Samuel Short · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compact and comprehensive biography of a super unique figure in African national liberation and decolonization. I thought this was super well done.

[YoBunnyBunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is exactly what the series says it is: a short history.

This history provides an outline of the life of Patrice Lumumba from his birth in 1925 up through his assassination in 1961. Nzongola-Ntalaja helpfully sets aside one chapter (Chapter 6) to provide a quick discussion of Lumumba's assassination in context to the ideological warfare of the Cold War that was threatening to go hot (Lumumba was assassinated in January 1961; the Bay of Pigs was the following April).

Though this book is not comprehensive, it is a good resource as a quick study on the former Belgian Congo/present Democratic Republic of Congo--especially for students who waited until the last minute on a homework assignment; for anyone who needs to do quick research on Congo to supplement a broader project; or for anyone who needs a starting point for research on colonial/post-colonial Africa, the Cold War in developing countries, or even early United Nations history.

Additionally, the author's introduction provides good references for further and more in depth scholarly writings (in French and English) on Patrice Lumumba and Congo, including Ludo de Witte's The Assassination of Lumumba (2001) and Stephen R. Weissman's American Foreign Policy in the Congo, 1960-1965 (1974), and his own work The Congo, From Leopold to Kabila (2002).

[JRT · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does a great job tracing Lumumba’s evolution from an elitist Congolese citizen who endorsed and attached himself to the colonial civilization project of the Belgians, to a true Pan African revolutionary. This evolution is reminiscent of other Africans/ Black Americans who found themselves shedding their inherently Anti-Black assimilationist views and embracing radical self-determination.

The author also traced the missteps that were made by Lumumba and his comrades once they obtained nominal independence. The missteps allowed the Belgians to impose a Neo-colonial project in Congo similar to what the other European colonial powers imposed in their former African colonies. The Belgians also took advantage of the pervasive ethnic and political divisions within the new Congo nation. Ultimately, the state of affairs in the newly independent Congo could not withstand the pressure imposed by the Neo-colonial regime of the Belgians, Americans, and reactionary Congolese. These forces would collaborate to remove and assassinate Lumumba.

This was a short, concise, and forceful account of Lumumba’s rise and legacy in the Congo. Great book.

[Rosmona · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good very short introduction to a figure I felt I didn't know nearly enough about - there's a lot published recently about the circumstances of Lumumba's murder, but not so much on who he was. For the author here, he was not a hardened politician like Nkrumah, not an intellectual or a socialist like Cabral, but a principled man who was in the wrong place at the right time. The truly dystopian evil of the 'Belgian Congo' is powerfully sketched in, and how even going over the border to Brazzaville felt to many Congolese as an escape from prison. Given how much Lumumba's politics seem to have been more liberal-left than Marxist - a Belgian Liberal Party supporter and former beer salesman, not a Paris-visiting, Marx-and-Mao-reading ideologue - it's striking how Lumumba's extremely swift deposition and murder must have been motivated above all by just how important Congo was, for its natural resources, to western capitalism - while other places could be reluctantly left to go their own left-nationalist way, there was simply no way Europe, the US and the UN were going to let that happen here. So it goes today, if you look at global supply chains for everything from nukes to phones.

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is not trying to hide his strong anti-imperialistic and in parts even anti-western tendencies, but is able to put them on a solid base. The reader is shown the scandalous involvement and cooperation between the Belgian state, the US and even in parts the UN; including their interests and motivations.

The only thing that bothers me a little is the emotionality in some parts and that the author is at some points idealizing Lumumba. Therefore the book unfortunately lacks a little of - possible - criticism of his.

Still, in general a really good introduction and overview to Lumumba's life and the Western and Eastern interests in the Congo.

[Rashad Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book! I had never heard of Patience Lumumba until this book. It’s really made me super interested in the history of the DRC and im really eager to learn more. If you want a broad overview of a historical figure and the struggles of freeing a resource rich nation from the grips of the reluctant imperial power Belgium and the new global superpower the United States is a much riveting experience!

[Emmanuel Adu-Awuku · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional expose on the brilliance of Patrice Lumumba. The author does well to immerse the reader in the scenarios of Patrice's most important moments.

I personally love how the historical accounts fits into what we know and the rumours surrounding Patrice's unfortunate ending.

A must read for every Pan African, history scholar, and Patrice Lumumba enthusiast.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book. Patrice Lumumba was a genuine revolutionary who spoke honestly about neocolonialism and imperialism. Reading the sections on the Western powers + UN's deep involvement in the assassination of Lumumba was especially powerful and is necessary for any individual who is particularly in need of an honest reckoning of the United States' affairs across the globe.

[Bfox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct, enlightening, and engaging. In short, a very good introduction not only to the life of Patrice Lumumba, but the experiences and challenges of the post-independence Democratic Republic of the Congo.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible summary of really complex story. illuminated how critical these events were to shaping African liberation movements. exposes lesser-known neocolonial abuse by the west.

[Liam D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and compact! There are many aspects towards Lumumba's policies that I wish were covered more in detail, but the overall view of his political life was eye-opening for sure.

[Monene Moila · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Patrice Lumumba: A Biography” by Peter W. J. de Vos deeply resonated with me. The book paints a vivid picture of Lumumba’s journey from a leader in the Congo’s fight for independence to his tragic and untimely death.

What I appreciated most was how the biography captured not just his political aspirations but also his personal struggles and vision for a free and independent Congo.

It was hard not to feel moved by the betrayal he faced, especially knowing the lasting impact of his legacy on the fight for freedom.

[Inteligencja wyjść · Rating 4 out of 5]

DRC

[Banu Altunbas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short bio of Lumumba, which includes useful and historical knowledge about Congo's first elected and then assassinated prime minister. It also gives a good insight to the pre- and post-independence meddling in Congo. Coming from a native academician, makes it credible

[Luís Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Huai Yai, Thailand)