Damien Amari Jackson wrote an informative piece on this man whom many of us who were human rights activists in the 60's and 70's reverently referred to as Patrice Lumumba. He was an instrumental leader and freedom fighter in the Congo assassinated by foreign interlopers and his fellow countrymen on January 1, 1961. He was and still is by many, relegated to that Pantheon of Freedom Loving Warriors. The dynamics of that period continue to persist and lend to the current conflicts which have wreaked havoc and devastation in that country. Mr. Jackson has begun the process of recalling for many of us and introducing to others the significance of this man and how his country needs more people of this caliber to gain control of their own destiny. Those who would like to know more about the genesis and on-going exploitation and violence so rampant in The Congo should begin by reading this article on Mr. Lumumba.
However, don't stop there for there is a wealth of information on this topic and varying points of view on the subject. Read the pros and cons and decide for yourself as to how you want to view the legacy of this man and his country.
