Letters from the Belgian Congo

An American missionary’s first-hand report of the history of transition from colonialism. She carefully avoided direct reference to the exploitation of the Africans in her letters, and focused on helping the Africans help themselves through education and empowerment.

In 1954 the author went to the colonial Belgian Congo as a missionary for the Methodist Church and spent the next 20 years teaching African women home economics, nutrition, hygiene, child care and leadership. She was fluent in French, Otetela, Swahili and Lingala, and wrote home economics and leadership text books in Otetela. Most significantly, she taught the women and girls how to pass along their knowledge and to teach others.

The collection is supplied on CD and sent by US Postal Service first class mail, normally arriving within 8–10 days.

See sample photographs from the collection.