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Birthday of Patrice Lumumba

July 2, 1925

Birthday of Patrice Lumumba UN Photo/MB The Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba, during a visit to UN Headquarters in New York. (24 July 1960)
Born Isaïe Tasumbu Tawosa, Patrice Lumumba was a leader of the Congo independence movement to end Belgium colonialism and the first Prime Minister of independent Congo. He was also an African nationalist and a Pan-Africanist. Shortly after Congolese independence in June 1960, the State of Katanga seceeded from Congo with the support of Union Minière du Haut Katanga, a mining company, and a large contingent of Belgian military advisers. Lumumba was captured, tortured and executed in January 1961 with the assistance of the Belgian government as well as the US government.