Chapter VIII · The voice of Lumumba
In his own words
Every quotation here is traced to a dated speech or letter, with the original French where he wrote or spoke in French. Phrases that circulate online without a source are left out.
30 June 1960
Independence speech, Léopoldville — answering King Baudouin’s tribute to Leopold II.
« Nul Congolais digne de ce nom ne pourra jamais oublier cependant que c’est par la lutte qu’elle a été conquise. »
No Congolese will ever forget that independence was won in struggle.
English: The Truth about a Monstrous Crime of the Colonialists (Moscow, 1961) · source text 30 June 1960
Independence speech — the programme for a free Congo.
« Nous allons montrer au monde ce que peut faire l’homme noir quand il travaille dans la liberté, et nous allons faire du Congo le centre du rayonnement de l’Afrique tout entière. »
We shall show the world what the black man can do when he works in freedom, and we shall make the Congo the centre from which light shines across the whole of Africa.
Translation: this site (the 1961 Moscow edition renders the last clause ‘the pride of Africa’) · source text 30 June 1960
Independence speech — on Pan-African liberation.
“The Congo’s independence is a decisive step towards the liberation of the whole African continent.”
English: The Truth about a Monstrous Crime of the Colonialists (Moscow, 1961) · source text 20 February 1960
Closing session of the Round Table conference, Brussels, speaking for the MNC.
“We demanded the immediate and unconditional independence of our country. We have just won it.”
The Belgo-Congolese Round Table Conference (Brussels, 1960) · source text Late 1960 — January 1961
Letter to his wife, Pauline, from Thysville prison.
« Sans dignité il n’y a pas de liberté, sans justice il n’y a pas de dignité, et sans indépendance il n’y a pas d’hommes libres. »
Without dignity there is no freedom, without justice there is no dignity and without independence there are no free men.
English: The Truth about a Monstrous Crime of the Colonialists (Moscow, 1961) · source text Late 1960 — January 1961
Letter to Pauline Lumumba, Thysville — his final message.
« L’histoire dira un jour son mot, mais ce ne sera pas l’histoire qu’on enseignera à Bruxelles, Paris, Washington ou aux Nations unies, mais celle qu’on enseignera dans les pays affranchis du colonialisme et de ses fantoches. L’Afrique écrira sa propre histoire et elle sera, au nord et au sud du Sahara, une histoire de gloire et de dignité. »
The day will come when history will speak. But it will not be the history which will be taught in Brussels, Paris, Washington or the United Nations. It will be the history which will be taught in the countries which have won freedom from colonialism and its puppets. Africa will write its own history and in both north and south it will be a history of glory and dignity.
English: The Truth about a Monstrous Crime of the Colonialists (Moscow, 1961) · source text