50 Years Later: the Rumble in the Jungle and Zaire 74
Map of Zaire taken from a George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali press kit donated by George Kalinsky in 2015.
Cultural, Political, and Social Climate of Zaire
During the 1940s through the 1980s, many African nations gained independence from European colonizers who had subjected Africans to harsh rule. In this process, leadership changed often in many countries, and the Belgian Congo was no different. The Belgian Congo was one of the most exploited, especially under the leadership of King Leopold. During the 1950s, political and cultural unrest continued to grow and would result in the creation of revolutionary groups including the Congolese National Movement in 1958.
After periods of violent riots and political conferences, the Congo declared independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960. This followed a period of intense debate among Congolese citizens over contrasting ideas of international relations and governmental structure. Upon gaining its independence in 1960, leadership renamed the nation the Republic of Congo, and then to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1964.
Tensions among Congolese citizens and the white military continued to grow between 1960 and 1965 leading to the Congo Crisis. During this, newly appointed Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba requested military support from the United Nations, but it was denied. Therefore, he turned to the Soviet Union. This led to a military uprising led by the Chief of Staff of the Congolese National Army, Joseph-Desire Mobutu (later renamed Sese Mobutu Seko).
After consolidating power in a coup in 1965, Mobutu established himself as the president of the Congo. Mobutu renamed the country Zaire in 1971 and hoped to establish the country as an international cultural, economic, political, and military powerhouse. An opportunity to do just this would present itself in 1974 when Don King approached President Seko with a proposal to host and finance the Muhammad Ali and George Foreman World Heavyweight Championship.
