George WashingtonWilliams was an American Civil War veteran, minister, politician, lawyer,journalist, and groundbreaking historian of African-American history. Shortlybefore his death he travelled to King Leopold II's Congo Free State. Shortlybefore his death he travelled to King Leopold II's Congo Free State. Shockedby what he saw, he wrote an open letter to Leopold about the suffering of theregion's inhabitants at the hands of Leopold's agents, which spurred thefirst public outcry against the regime running the Congo under which millionslost their lives.
