This documentary film is based on Adam Hochchild's book King Leopold's Ghost: A Tale of Greed, Horror and Herorism in Colonial Africa. It is the story of how one man came to control a whole colony in central Africa and how millions were brutally enslaved or murdered during his reign. How is it that, in the words of the author, "a death toll of Holocaust dimensions", could be such a silent story in history?
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While looking through the blogs I was inspired by this trailer because I was unaware this event had ever happened. When referring to enslaved Africans, I immediately recall American US history and visions of the movie "Amistad". However, this story is so much more and most definitely parallels the Holocaust in Germany rather than slavery in America. Hochchild brings to light the devastating account of the slaughter of TEN MILLION Africans in the Congo between 1835-1900. While Europe was taking over and dividing up Africa, King Leopold of Belgium seized the land around the Congo River and continued to exploit the land and people for ivory and rubber. King Leopold manipulated his image and lived under the guise as a humanitarian while mass murdering and torturing African workers to make money. This story is definitely one to be shared.
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