Patrice Lumumba
The young, dashing and charismatic Lumumba was the independence leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo. But a concerted effort by Belgium, the United Nations and local powers led by Mobutu Seseseko, forced him out of power and later killed him.
He was against Belgian imperialism in the Congos and domestically, Lumumba was not in harmony with a military that wished it could be given more power after independence in 1960.
RELATED STORIES
Today, his efforts to ensure Belgian and other Western countries did not have their way in the Congos are lauded as visionary.
