Between 1885 and 1908, King Leopold II’s imperialistic endeavors led to the rape, torture, mutilation, enslavement, and murder of over ten million Congolese people. The discovery of these atrocities by humanitarian activists and their determination to stop crimes committed by Leopold’s African explorers and Congo Free State officials led to the creation of the first universal human rights movement that was based upon the concept of “crimes against humanity.”
1. HIST 347: Historical Perspectives on HumanRights
Dr. Caroline Campbell
In Class Presentation given by Janet Wolf Strand on May 5, 2015
2. Research Question
How didconcepts of human rights heldby nineteenth-
century humanitarian activists affect their reactions to
atrocities committed against the indigenouspeoplesof
the Belgian Congoduringthe imperialisticconquests
of KingLeopoldII?
3. Thesis
Between1885 and 1908, KingLeopold II’s imperialistic
endeavors ledto the rape, torture, mutilation,enslavement,
and murder of over ten million Congolesepeople. The
discovery of theseatrocities by humanitarianactivists and their
determinationto stop crimes committedby Leopold’s African
explorers and Congo Free Stateofficials ledto thecreation of
thefirst universal humanrights movement thatwas based
upon the concept of “crimes against humanity.”
7. Congo Reform Association
Createdin 1904
The first overseashumanitarianmovement
Coinedthe term “crimesagainst humanity”
Had Branches in:
The United States Britain GermanyFrance
Norway SwitzerlandScotland
8. King Leopold’sCongo Free State 1885 to1908
905,000 square miles
10 million people
lost their lives
The population of
the Congo was
reduced to half
Tens of thousands
were tortured,
mutilated, and
raped
76 times larger than
Belgium
Facts:
Under the cloak of humanitarianism, Leopold was able to get his slice of the African cake.
10. Historiographyof SecondarySources
Dr. Issa G. Shivji 1989
Adam Hochschild 1998
Dr. Linda Rabben 2002
Dr. Lynn Hunt 2007
Dr. Samuel Moyn 2010
Dr. Sharon Sliwinski 2011 Dr. Heidi Moksnes 2012
