Genocide in the Congo

11/28/2018

The Power of images and photos can change history and expose human atrocities. In 1905, missionary Alice Harris took photographs with her Kodak camera exposing the horrific mutilations of the Congolese people by the Belgium Government. King Leopold's rubber slave trade killed twelve million people in the Congo, while thousands of survivors were left with mutilated limbs. The photographs were published in newspapers around the world and helped to end King Leopold's reign of the Congo. Discuss the power of photographs. How do these images effect your thoughts on imperialism in Africa? What are your thoughts on the European scramble for colonies in Africa?

17 Comments

Mikayla Kwok

6/25/2017 02:30:58 pm

In my opinion, the power of photography is vital when striving for change in foreign lands, for it is visual evidence of the harsh truth in developing countries. With the publication of Alice Harris’s images of severed limbs, she was able to convince others to campaign for the human right of the Congolese people internationally. These candid images effectively use the media to express concerns and bring people worldwide together to fight for the justice of others. Today, many charities still use dehumanizing photographs in order to instill a sense of pity in onlookers and to encourage them to donate money to help. However, especially after watching the documentary about El Sistema, I think that the portrayal of people in developing countries through photography has not become as beneficial as it was before. By focusing the attention on only the starving skeletal children or poverty-stricken families, it presents the idea that these foreigners are helpless and incapable of fending for themselves, which degrades the particular nation and strengthens the Social Darwinist beliefs of the rest of the world.

These photographs of the horrors in the Congo have definitely convinced me that imperialism in Africa may have been more detrimental than beneficial. Even though it was helpful to gain more knowledge on the advances in technology from the Western settlers, such teachings do not compensate for the brutal genocide in the Congo, especially since the victims were either innocent children or entitled natives of the land. In terms of the European scramble for colonies in Africa, I believe that such representations of extreme greed and machiavellianism were completely unethical but, unfortunately, were necessary to achieve global modernization. Even though millions of people had to die and suffer the domination of more superior countries, this imperialism did ignite the flames of nationalism among the oppressed and served as the much needed wake-up call to many conservative nations. After all, the European scramble was needed for progress for the future but had taken a completely extremist path that I do not believe can be forgiven.

Sydney Jou

6/26/2017 03:05:26 pm

I believe photography is a powerful influence. It is vivid, undeniable proof that an event is occurring. When people hear or read about certain situations, they tend to come up with an image or an idea about what is going on. However, when they see pictures, society cannot ignore the truth. They are forced to visibly see what is happening and cannot hide behind any false realities they may perceive. I think this is why Alice Harris' Kodak pictures of the Congolese man and his daughter's dismembered limbs are so moving. They forced people from foreign Western lands to see the truth about the Congolese genocide and about Western imperialism itself.

Although these images’ events occurred decades before my time, they still affect my perspective. When I read about the Western Imperialism and its impact on the conquered Eastern, it can be hard to fully grasp the situation. These events seem ancient in the textbook, a collection of names and dates. However, seeing Harris’s picture makes it more real and personal. Her photographs throw the spotlight on the cruelty and the oppression of the people in Eastern countries. They helped me better realize the level of “supremacy” the Western countries achieved in their fight for expansion. The knowledge I have now gained about Western imperialism has persuaded me that the process is harmful to the Eastern countries. Although the Western powers claimed that they were contributing the knowledge of their culture to Asia and Africa, they are really trying to colonialize overseas for their own personal gain, including trade, wealth and prestige. Like King Leopold in Congo, most Western countries tried to exploit their conquered land’s resources and enslave their people. They also tried to strip many African groups of their cultures unwillingly to modernize them. Overall, because of the malice and disrespect expressed towards most Eastern countries, I think Western imperialism is quite detrimental.

Andre Uriarte

11/29/2018 01:01:10 pm

Photography is a dictators worst enemy. The freedom of press is a vital part of sustaining a government and calling out the evilness of a government. What King Leopold did was very inhuman and brutal. If these photos were not taken many more could’ve died. These images are very memorable and in all honestly, a blessing in disguise they exposed the brutality the Belgium people used on innocent people and have given me a terrible perspective on how I see imperialism. From Africa imperialism to Japanese imperialism it’s all bad and all gruesome. Innocent people shouldn’t die because of a belief that the color of your skin identifies who you are and your statues in the world.

Sylvie Nhiayi period 5

11/29/2018 06:08:04 pm

The image looks shocking, because the men's hand got cut off and I feel bad for the men, he just have one hand. I also feel horrible for innocent people getting their hand cut off especially the children. I think it was a good thing that people took a photograph of the people that had their hand cut off, because other people from like other world are trying to stop King Leopold from making the slave using the rubber. It was the reason why the Congo are getting tortured and getting their hand get their hand cut off.

Esaelis Romero

11/29/2018 08:48:36 pm

The images and the video we saw today in class shocked me a lot , I was expecting war and some people to be killed but, not that many and children?! I was incredibly shocked I stil don’t understand why he didn’t get killed or get sent to jail after so many murders of innocent children and people. Also what Andre said got me thinking, what would have happened if Alice didn’t put the picture in the newspaper? How many more innocent people would have died? I hate king Leopold.

Evelyne Gong Per. 2

12/1/2018 03:45:44 pm

The power of photographs have many influences from bringing the truth to light and to finding out the behind the scenes such as what happened in Congo and with its people. Photographs can change our mindset in an instant, but it can also change others as well. By having photographs, people can learn about the world and what they can do to help. The freedom of press is something that can affect someone negatively, but it can also affect them positively by helping them such as when someone is in a dark time. The power of photographs helps us, students and audiences through not only with work, but also with life.

In my opinion, the European scramble for Africa is unnecessary because by having multiple nations fighting for one nation, many innocent lives are going to be in danger and even taken. The photographs of the harsh reality of the Congolese people showed the imperialism in Africa and how imperialism ruined the real image of the nation. Imperialism had a negative effect on Africa because it changed the culture and how the people were treated.

TImothy Chu P.1

12/1/2018 07:46:01 pm

The invention of photography was more important than their inventors could imagine. Alice Harris used the power of photography to expose the doings of King Leopold II all round the world. It saved the Congolese people from further disaster and torture. I wish that the scramble for colonies in Africa never have ever occurred as a thought in anyone's head. I wonder how Africa would be like if it was just left alone in peace from the start.

Christine Vu

12/2/2018 04:31:23 pm

Photography is a method which inspires people, events, and feeling of both the past and the present. When words fail to deliver their message across, the invention of pictures can change the mindset of hundreds and thousands of individuals. "Photography is the story I fail to put into words." —Destin Sparks.

The definition of imperialism is the practice of a larger country/ government growing stronger by taking over smaller countries that have important resources. However, if one did not not know any better, based on the picture, they would say imperialism is the practice of inhumane acts towards people of another country they deem as inferior, also known as racism or a more bolder term, slavery. Imperialism seems to be more of an excuse for its more- detrimental-than-beneficial activities.

Needless to say, I am unimpressed at how European countries immediately rush to Africa to claim African countries as if they were savage dogs scavenging for the last bit of meat on a bone. It was as if they all cornered King Leopold to disband his state for their own benefits. Now, I'm not implying that stopping Leopold is a terrible thing, I'm just questioning what's stopping them from doing the same thing but under more careful circumstances?

Melody sanchez p1

12/3/2018 02:01:54 pm

Photographs have a lot of power towards peoples opinions and awareness on current and past events. The images taken by Alice Haris showed many graphic and eye opening images of what people had to go In Africa during this time. Seeing the images my opinion on imperalism in Africa is that it was not right to mistreat many people and it was a cruel way to mange the rubber tappers. Theses photographs impacted the people who saw them and made them more aware of the issue causing people to try to fix the problem. This is just one of many examples of the power of photographs they are able to fix major problems in society all around the world by making people more aware. My thoughts on the European scramble in Africa are that they shouldn’t have had such a cruel punishment as to cutting of hands and feet and could have been managed differently.

Amy Tran

12/4/2018 12:42:38 am

When it came to the photos that were destributed throughout the countries, it showed of how cruel and inhuman people can be if they were to aim for a certain target. For the colonies that took over Africa, it was shown of how people can be so aggressive when it comes to material good. Generally most people didn’t know of what was going on in the rubber slave trade; however with the help of photography it had spread the news of the unjustified treatment that had bestowed append the African Americans. With this new information at hand there has been more awareness of the rubber trade, making people want to protest against such acts. When it came to the lives of the people in the slave trade it doesn’t compare to just some protest, but at the very least it was a glimmer of hope for the people that thought they where to be in the slave trade forever. As for how the Europeans had invaded or “imperialized” themselves into Africa, honestly I would say that it was their misjudgments of not considering their culture and their types of life’s styles. Imperialism is bogus in the fact of forcing people to changing their life’s just cause they have arrived in ones land.

Amnia Ali per.2

12/6/2018 01:01:42 pm

The power of photographs helps spread and preserve our history of society. Just like how Alice Harris took pictures of the Congolese people and how they were being mistreated from 1905. This allowed others from other countries to see the horrific mutilations. How these images effect my thoughts on imperialism in Africa is that imperialism causes so much pain for those who are getting imperialized. Leaving Africa to not have control or a say in how they live their lives. My thoughts on the European scramble for colonies in Africa is that I wished it never occurred and never came through the thoughts of the Europeans.

Joey Zhong per. 3

12/6/2018 02:12:16 pm

Using photography for beneficial reasons is something underrated and should be acknowledged for its uses and purposes. It’s something that would eventually carry an importance that is needed in our current society, used almost everyday. Unhealthy desires has caused many to suffer as those in the Congo and the use of photography was able to prove what others may not have been able to. The photos above radiates an awareness that would help stop the cruelty that had been done and allows viewers to contemplate the cruelty that had been done and can still be going on. It’s a view that leaves a mark within the mind and is something that can never be ignored due to it’s cruelty. With that the creation of a camera is something that is needed to be way more appreciated than it may already be. Kind of but not exactly related, in my opinion, such cruel actions done shouldn’t be necessary, as humans, why stand against one another when being united would benefit everyone? Being a union is better than being a war zone.

Michael Torres per 2

12/6/2018 02:43:16 pm

Photography, in this sense, is key to expose those doing unjust things. It is essential for telling the rest of the world what is going on in another country. Especially when you're a journalist. Also, people say that a picture speaks a thousand words.

Imperialism is shocking in this way, what other countries would do to take what they want. They cut off the limbs of children to threaten the neighboring villages, and to those who didn't labor hard enough. At first I thought that it was gonna be another one of those "come in and take and make houses" kinda thing, not a "Ima come in, take all, make you work, and cut off your kids hands" kinda thing.

In a way it's kind of crazy the way that Europe rushed to Africa because of rubber. Each country wanted a piece of it, and they all would do whatever it took to do it. It's also sad how ruthless the people were to the Congolese, we are all human aren't we? But what they did to them was inhuman.

Natalie Amano (per.1)

12/6/2018 04:20:00 pm

Photography is a vital instrument for change. It gives viewers an insight of life around the world and could essentially alter ones perspective. The harrowing images Alice Harris took, made me realize how disastrous and terrible the imperialism in Africa was. King Leopold ll was so desperate to keep the Congolese peoples under his control, that he decided to use the worst and cruelest methods possible. The European scramble makes sense, all the countries wanted to get their hands on the natural resources, but it was unnecessary. Many people were hurt and killed just for some rubber or gold. My question is, why did no one stop to think about how maybe Africa and its countries could be notable traders or trade partners? Everyone’s initial instinct is to automatically take over the land and the natives will have to follow, but after all these years of up and down peace and war, they still couldn’t get across how or why their peoples are so unhappy.

Daniel Campbell

12/6/2018 08:11:27 pm

When I think of a photo, I think of a positive memory that was captured to save. Obviously this photo represents inhuman actions by King Leopalds men. If these photos never reached were they went then the deaths of Africans would have increased jurassicly. Although I understand what King Leopold was doing, it was wrong the thing to do. His thought process was right, but actions were definitely wrong. No kid she be executed for not gathering enough resources, when they are already filled with natural resources. I think this whole imperialism thing should not be taken out of context. Countries should be able to maintain what they rightfully own. Also no other country should be able to take that away, especially when that country has way more man power then the country they are attempting to takeover.

Rustom Dee

12/6/2018 10:32:13 pm

The photographs published had more power than words, portraying horrific events like victims of mutilations is more hard hitting than just text on a paper report the situation. The pictures allow me to see the reality of their lives which helps me sympathize more with the natives.
My opinion on how the Europeans desperately competes for African colonies, disregarding the lives of the natives, is that I find it disgusting. They're no better than dogs fighting for a piece of meat. They're the most advanced countries in the world and they're going around acting like savages for a natural resource like rubber.

David Gomez

12/7/2018 05:15:10 pm

The photographs that Alice harris took with her camera showed the rest of the world what really happens in other parts of the world and shows how cruel humans can be just to get something they want. The Europeans should have asked to trade instead of takeing they’re land by force it was very unfair and rude for them to go to their land take it and use the citizens of that land as slaves and to torture them for not getting enough of the rubber.

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