One can only wonder how they all felt that day in 1884, these representatives from 13 European powers and the United States. Did they care about the violence they were about to ignite?
German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck organized the conference. All these men gathered so that they could come to an agreement on which slice of Africa they could claim for their own.
Despite Africa owing them nothing, these white men felt it was their right to claim the continent through violence. They cut it up like it was a piece of meat, deciding that their desire for resources justified them in horrifically taking lives and plundering ancient societies.
This radically changed the course of world history. The violence required colonization of an entire continent which meant the Western world TRULY did not have any civil values or regard for human life.
Black people globally have to remember that our oppression and the theft of our native lands were planned. White men did whatever was necessary for their success – we must make sure we do the same when it comes to our liberation.