1. IAFS 1000 The Congo Le Grand Kalle, “Independence ChaCha”

2. Democratic Republic of the Congo Map: www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/africa_pol_2003.jpg; Mobutu: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/903324.stm Mobutu Sese Seko

3. Heart of Darkness Marlow on Leopold’s colonialism: “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much.”

4. Heart of Darkness Futile violence: “In the empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent.”

5. Heart of Darkness Kurtz: –Report to the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs: “exterminate all the brutes” –Marlow’s assessment: “His was an impenetrable darkness” –Last words: “The horror! The horror!”

6. Historical Reality in the Congo Free State Rubber trade Hostage-taking Collection of hands: ‘To gather rubber in the district... one must cut off hands, noses and ears’

7. The Congo Free State International protest 1908: Belgian government takeover “Listen to the yell of Leopold's ghost Burning in Hell for his hand-maimed host. Hear how the demons chuckle and yell Cutting his hands off, down in Hell.” (Vachel Lindsay, “The Congo”)

8. Belgian Congo: Worst-Case Decolonization Few educational or political opportunities 1956-60: Independence movement Nationalist leaders: —Lumumba (Congolese National Movement) —Kasavubu (Alliance of Kongo People) Lumumba Kasavubu

9. Independence June 30, 1960: Independence President: Kasavubu Prime Minister: Lumumba —“Tears, Fire, and Blood” speech Lumumba

10. Independent Congo Sept 14, 1960: military coup led by Joseph Mobutu Jan 1961: Lumumba murdered –Filmreel of captured LumumbaFilmreel Feb 1961: Kasavubu restored to power Kasavubu Lumumba

11. Independent Congo 1965: Mobutu coup —Congo renamed Zaire —kleptocracy: rule by thieves 1994: Rwandan-aided rebellion

12. Independent Congo 1997: Kabila president —Zaire renamed Congo 1998: new rebellion as “Africa’s world war” 2001: Kabila assassinated —succeeded by his son, Joseph Kabila Laurent Kabila

13. Recent Events in Congo 2003: Peace accord, transitional govt 2006 elections —Pres. Joseph Kabila —VP Jean-Pierre Bemba Laurent Kabila

14. Recent Events in Congo 2008-present: violence in the east 2012: Intl Criminal Court conviction of Thomas Lubunga for using child soldiers

15. Themes Comparative decolonization Colonialism’s role in Congolese instability Art as a political tool http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/uk_heart_of_darkness_meets_apocalypse_now/html/8.stm