The
Democratic Republic of Congo, the second-largest country in Africa by
area, has a fractured and bloody history, variously undone by decades
of colonialism, civil war, corruption, and totalitarian rule. The
country has played a crucial role in the economic growth of the
Global North, but in doing so, has suffered immensely. So many
seminal advances in technology were possible only through the
extraction of materials from Congo, from rubber to copper to uranium
to coltan. In each case, the Congolese people paid a great price
exacerbated by the weight of colonial exploitation and dictatorial
rule.
In
this comprehensive graphic history, author and illustrator Edmund
Trueman explores the fractious story of Congo. Through deft
illustrations and storytelling, Congo's history - not widely known to
Western readers - comes vividly alive. We see how Congolese musicians
have spread their language across Africa by creating some of the most
popular music on the continent, and how Congolese women have spent
decades sidestepping sexist legislation to become leaders in local
business. From resistance against colonialism to the fight for
independence and the self-determination to make a life in an almost
stateless place, Postcards
from Congo
depicts how the Congolese people have resisted and survived in order
to take control of their lives and the country they call home.
Includes
a foreword by historian Didier Gondola, Professor of African History
at John Hopkins University.
