Referred to by Malcolm X as “the greatest Black man who ever walked across the African continent.” Patrice Lumumba was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Congo — an anti-colonist, anti-imperialist, & pan-africanist whose efforts were short lived, he was assassinated at the hands of The CIA & Belgium less than 7 months after the Congolese gained independence. In 1955 he became regional president of a Congolese trade union of government employees, this union was not affiliate with the main Belgian federations. So, in 1956 he was invited to a study tour in Belgium which he intended & was arrested immediately after returning to the Congo. With charges of embezzlement. He served a 12-month sentence and upon freedom he launched the Congolese National Movement, the first nationwide political party in the Congo. His speech at the All-African People’s Conference in 1958 ignited all the people who attended. The Belgium government saw this fire for independence on the rise across the continent and in 1960 held general elections for the Congo as a way to smother this fire. Lumumba’s Congolese National Movement boycotted this election and many Congolese did as well. This resulted in the murdering of 30 Congolese in Kisangani (Stanleyville under colonist rule) and Lumumba was arrested on charges of inciting a riot. The Congolese National Movement decided to change direction and join the election race which they did, and they won with a 90% vote. Upon winning they demanded the release of Lumumba. And Belgium forces released him. This all resulted in the Congo gaining independence in June 1960. Just six months later he was imprisoned and executed by firing squad.