In the 1880s, King Leopold of Belgium took possession of the unexplored Congo River area in Africa. He then proceeded to exploit its natural resources and its people. Ultimately responsible for millions of deaths, he shrewdly managed to portray himself as a humanitarian. This haunting and award-winning historical account by Adam Hochschild not only recounts this horrible tragedy, but also tells the story of those who tried to stop him. In the first major human rights movement of the 20th century, many people tried to expose the truth — even Mark Twain and Joseph Conrad, who was inspired to write Heart of Darkness after his time in the Belgian Congo.
Image: Royal Stool, 19th-20th century (African, Luba culture, Democratic Republic of Congo), wood, glass beads, string. Robert and Nancy Nooter Collection, Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund