1953 – Patrice Lumumba Founds the MNC in the Congo

On June 15, 1953, Patrice Lumumba founded the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), a pivotal political party in the fight for Congolese independence from Belgium. Lumumba, a charismatic orator and nationalist, launched the MNC to unify diverse factions in the Congo under a vision of anti-colonial liberation and pan-African solidarity. Unlike earlier tribal-based movements, the MNC called for a centralized, independent Congo. Lumumba’s political strategy and growing influence alarmed the Belgian authorities. His activism eventually led to his arrest, but he emerged as a national hero. In 1960, he would become the first Prime Minister of the independent Republic of the Congo. The MNC\’s founding marked a critical juncture in the history of African decolonization and laid the groundwork for Congo\’s tumultuous but momentous path toward sovereignty.