From Congo atrocities to Ruwenzori heroism: The power of visual campaigns in Belgian colonial lantern lectures

One of the most arresting images from Belgian colonial history is the photograph of Nsala of Wala gazing at his daughter’s severed hand and foot, taken by English missionary and photographer Alice Seeley Harris in 1904. This disturbing image, capturing the atrocities of King Leopold II’s brutal regime in the Congo Free State (1885-1908), was not only a grim testament to the horrors of the rubber trade but also a powerful visual tool in the fight against colonial abuses. Projected during magic lantern lectures, Harris's photograph played a pivotal role in raising awareness of human rights…

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Politics on Show: The Magic Lantern Performances of Brussels Mayor Charles Buls

At the dawn of the twentieth century, Charles Buls, the forward-thinking mayor of Brussels, employed magic lantern performances not merely to display his extensive travels but also to illuminate his socio-political ideals. These spellbinding illustrated lectures whisked audiences away to far-flung corners of the globe, deftly weaving in Buls’ passionate advocacy for cultural conservation and civic identity. His poignant recounting of the tragic Messina earthquake of 1908 not only shed light on the plight of that unfortunate city and its people but also unveiled his grand vision for Brussels.…

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