Congo Reform Association
Encyclopedia
The Congo Reform Association exposed gross and rampant abuses of labor and by public servants in King Leopold II of Belgium
's Congo Free State
, leading to the annexation of Congo by Belgium
in 1908. In March, 1904, Dr. Henry Grattan Guinness (1861–1915), Edmund Dene Morel, and Roger Casement
founded the Congo Reform Association. The movement was formed to aid the exploited and impoverished workforce of the Congo by drawing attention to their plight.
In the background, a Swedish missionary, Mr. Sjoblom, and Rev. J. Murphy of the American Baptist Mission had reported on the abuses to Dr. Guinness in 1895, and they sent out the Congo-Balolo Mission to assist and gather information and photographs. Of 35 missionaries, by 1900 only six had survived the endemic disease.
Casement, as British consul, was ordered in 1903 to prepare the Casement Report
, and was honoured with a Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG) decoration for it. Morel (a journalist) reported weekly in the West Africa Mail, and Guinness (a missionary doctor) gave lectures around Britain before mentioning the realities to President Theodore Roosevelt
of the USA in 1907. Branches of the association were established in Europe and the United States
.
In 1908 the Congo Free State
passed out of the absolute rule
of Leopold II of Belgium
and was taken over by Belgium as the "Belgian Congo
". The Congo Reform Association considered that its aims was accomplished and it dissolved itself in 1912. In 1924, Morel was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
in large part for his work with the association.
The association gained the support of several famous writers such as Joseph Conrad
, Anatole France
, Arthur Conan Doyle
, and Mark Twain
who contributed with their literary production to the cause. The novella Heart of Darkness
by Joseph Conrad was inspired by his journey as a ship's captain on the Congo River
. Mark Twain wrote a political satire named "King Leopold's Soliloquy
", and Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Crime of the Congo.
Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
's Congo Free State
Congo Free State
The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...
, leading to the annexation of Congo by Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1908. In March, 1904, Dr. Henry Grattan Guinness (1861–1915), Edmund Dene Morel, and Roger Casement
Roger Casement
Roger David Casement —Sir Roger Casement CMG between 1911 and shortly before his execution for treason, when he was stripped of his British honours—was an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist....
founded the Congo Reform Association. The movement was formed to aid the exploited and impoverished workforce of the Congo by drawing attention to their plight.
In the background, a Swedish missionary, Mr. Sjoblom, and Rev. J. Murphy of the American Baptist Mission had reported on the abuses to Dr. Guinness in 1895, and they sent out the Congo-Balolo Mission to assist and gather information and photographs. Of 35 missionaries, by 1900 only six had survived the endemic disease.
Casement, as British consul, was ordered in 1903 to prepare the Casement Report
Casement Report
The Casement Report was a 1904 document by British diplomat Roger Casement detailing abuses in the Congo Free State which was under the private ownership of King Leopold II of Belgium. This report was instrumental in Leopold finally reliquishing his private holdings in Africa...
, and was honoured with a Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(CMG) decoration for it. Morel (a journalist) reported weekly in the West Africa Mail, and Guinness (a missionary doctor) gave lectures around Britain before mentioning the realities to President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
of the USA in 1907. Branches of the association were established in Europe and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1908 the Congo Free State
Congo Free State
The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...
passed out of the absolute rule
Absolutism
The term Absolutism may refer to:* Absolute idealism, an ontologically monistic philosophy attributed to G.W.F. Hegel. It is Hegel's account of how being is ultimately comprehensible as an all-inclusive whole...
of Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
and was taken over by Belgium as the "Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
". The Congo Reform Association considered that its aims was accomplished and it dissolved itself in 1912. In 1924, Morel was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
in large part for his work with the association.
The association gained the support of several famous writers such as Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
, Anatole France
Anatole France
Anatole France , born François-Anatole Thibault, , was a French poet, journalist, and novelist. He was born in Paris, and died in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire. He was a successful novelist, with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters...
, Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
, and Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
who contributed with their literary production to the cause. The novella Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. Before its 1903 publication, it appeared as a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine. It was classified by the Modern Library website editors as one of the "100 best novels" and part of the Western canon.The story centres on Charles...
by Joseph Conrad was inspired by his journey as a ship's captain on the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
. Mark Twain wrote a political satire named "King Leopold's Soliloquy
King Leopold's Soliloquy
"King Leopold's Soliloquy" is a 1905 pamphlet by Mark Twain. Its subject is King Leopold's rule over the Congo Free State. A work of political satire harshly condemnatory of his actions, it ostensibly recounts Leopold speaking in his own defense....
", and Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Crime of the Congo.
Further reading
- Bourne, H. R. Fox. Civilisation in Congoland: A Story of International Wrong-Doing. London: P. S. King & Son, 1903. .
- Guinness, Henry Grattan. The Congo Crisis, 1908. London: R.B.M.U. Publ. Dept., 1908. .
- Guinness, Michele. The Guinness Spirit: Brewers and Bankers, Ministers and Missionaries. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1999. pp. 310–315, 395–398. ISBN 0340721650.
External links
- Catalogue of the Edmund Morel papers at the Archives Division of the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.