Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat

Jazz and the process of decolonization are intricately woven into a compelling story that revisits one of the most fraught moments of the Cold War. In 1960, the United Nations became the epicenter of a political upheaval as the Congo’s quest for independence captured global attention. The newly sovereign nation experienced its first coup d’état, orchestrated by Western powers and Belgium, who were unwilling to let go of their resource-abundant former colony. In an attempt to shift focus, the United States dispatched jazz legend Louis Armstrong to Africa as a cultural ambassador. In 1961, the assassination of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, a pivotal figure in the anti-colonial movement, was carried out with the assistance of Belgian and CIA agents. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach responded by condemning imperialism and systemic racism. Meanwhile, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev escalated his critique of the United States, drawing attention to the racial divides prevalent in American society.