Antwerp Honors Congolese Deaths at 1894 World’s Fair

Why this is here: Over one hundred Congolese people were transported by boat to Antwerp to exhibit daily life at the 1894 World’s Fair before several fell ill and seven died.

Antwerp’s mayor, Els van Doesburg, unveiled a memorial stone at Hoboken Cemetery in Belgium for seven Congolese people. These individuals died in 1894 after being brought to the city to participate in the World’s Fair. They were displayed as part of an “African village” and subjected to conditions Van Doesburg describes as a “human zoo.”

More than one hundred Congolese people traveled by boat to Antwerp. They were compelled to perform daily tasks to simulate life in their homeland. Many became sick with dysentery and lung diseases due to poor housing.

Christelle Yoka of the Congolese-Flemish Community of Antwerp notes the commemoration addresses a long-standing lack of recognition. The city plans to commemorate the seven individuals annually on May 12th, the date of the first death. The organizers emphasize this memorial is a beginning, not a conclusion, to fully acknowledging this history.