![]() |
A Popular History of Unpopular ThingsAuthor: Kelli Beard
A podcast that makes weird, gross, gory, and just generally unpopular history more fun and accessible Language: en-us Genres: Documentary, History, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
The Belgian Congo
Episode 68
Saturday, 29 March, 2025
Join Kelli as she goes over the Congo Free State, owned not by Belgium, but by its King - Leopold II.During the 19th century in Africa, seven European countries - Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, met to divide up Africa; they had already encroached on about 10% of it, mostly the coasts, but now they wanted more. In this episode we discuss why, and what happened to the Congolese men, women, and children who were suddenly under the control of King Leopold.Intro and Outro music credit: @nedricmusicFind him on all streaming services and YouTube!http://www.nedricmusic.com SourcesBooksAdam Hochschild, King Leopold’s Ghost. https://www.amazon.com/King-Leopolds-Ghost-Heroism-Colonial/dp/0618001905David Van Reybrouck, Congo: The Epic History of a People. Articles/WebsitesGermany officially recognises colonial-era Namibia genocide - BBC, 2021 | https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57279008Rudyard Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden” 1899 | https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_burden.htmGeorge Washington Williams, “An Open Letter to His Serene Majesty Leopold II, King of the Belgians and Sovereign of the Independent State of Congo By Colonel, The Honorable Geo. W. Williams, of the United States of America” as found on BlackPast | https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/primary-documents-global-african-history/george-washington-williams-open-letter-king-leopold-congo-1890/Support the show