Figure 1.-- Hre we see a group of boys doing their First Communion in Stanlyville during. The boys are mostly Belgian or other Europeans. There is one Congolese boy, Joseph Quitambala. The boys are variously dressed. We see darl and medium colored, but no white suits. The white suits. The boys in white wear white shirts and shorts. Most of the wboyswear white ankle socks, but two have white knee siocks. Most of the boys wear shoes, but one boy wears sandals. The boys in the other photogrph, perhaps 1958 are dressed quite a bit differently. Put your cursor the image to see the second photograph.

There were major differences in the Congo during the 20th century. Our photographic archive is still quite limited. Thus we can not yet chronicle those differences in any substantial way. Of course the major difference was the transition from Belgian colony to independent state. We have found some images from the colonial era. Belgian colonists apparently brought albums and collections of photograhs back home when they left the Congo (1960). Thus we have a record of their experiences there. It seems to have been a life lived largely separate fron the native Congolese people, exept as servants or employees. A good example is a First Communion which we think was a Stanleyville ceremony just before independence (1958-59). Most Belgians were Catholic. We have their names, most seem to be Belgian. We have found twp photographs. One is dated May 7, 1959, the year before independence (figure 1). The boys are variously dressed. We see darl and medium colored, but no white suits. The white suits. The boys in white wear white shirts and shorts. We don't see any sailor suits. Most of the boys wear white ankle socks, but two have white knee siocks. Most of the boys wear shoes, but one boy wears sandals. We are not sure about the second photograph, but one source suggests 1958. The boys in this photogrph, perhaps 1958 are dressed quite a bit differently. More boys are wearing long pants. One boy wears a short pants sailor suit. e don't see any Congolese boys. We are not sure about that, but it could not have been much later. Belgium granted the Congo independence in 1960 and most Belgian nationals and other Europeans left at that time. There was a substantial difference in how the boys were dressed in the two photographs.

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Created: 9:38 PM 11/2/2012
Last updated: 9:38 PM 11/2/2012