Congolese politician and first Prime Minister of the independent Democratic Republic of Congo Patrice Emery Lumumba was assassinated on this day in 1961 at the age of 36. Lumumba transformed the country in just three months in office and he strongly advocated for a united Africa until his death by firing squad. He is seen as one of the founding fathers of post-colonial Africa and a key advocate in the Pan-African movement. Below is his last letter to his wife Pauline Lumumba in 1960 before he was assassinated. PATRICESource: Jean Van Lierde ed., Lumumba Speaks: The Speeches and Writings of Patrice Lumumba, 1958-1961 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1972).

Source: The North Africa Journal January 17, 2018 12:33 UTC