Conclusion: Legacies

Abstract

Many have strived to go beyond the “idéologème,” a kind of shorthand reference evoking heroic struggle and martyrdom in the name of freedom and sovereignty represented by the name “Lumumba,” and to bring to life the words and actions of the legendary nationalist. They have re-presented Lumumba’s political testament in his letter to Pauline and have attempted to rise to his call to struggle for emancipation, dignity, and justice. Yet most discussions of Lumumba’s legacy take place at a level of abstraction that brackets the consequences of this struggle for the people who shared his life. This conclusion explores the gendered politics of transmitting and defending legacies.