The Berlin Conference: The Rise of the Congo Reform Association

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the origins and impact of the Congo Reform Association, the first major international human rights movement. They discuss how E.D. Morel, a former shipping clerk, uncovered the brutal labor system in King Leopold II's Congo Free State, where Congolese were forced to harvest rubber under threat of mutilation and death. Morel's partnership with Roger Casement, a British consul who reported on the atrocities, sparked a global campaign that eventually forced Leopold to relinquish control of the Congo. The episode also covers the role of African testimony, the use of photography and lantern slides in advocacy, and how the movement influenced later humanitarian campaigns. #BerlinConference #CongoFreeState #CongoReformAssociation #EDMorel #RogerCasement #KingLeopoldII #RubberAtrocities #ForcePublique #HumanRights #ColonialHistory #Africa #19thCentury #Imperialism #Activism #HenryMortonStanley #HeartOfDarkness #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo