Jazz and decolonization are intertwined in a powerful narrative that recounts one of the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 1960, the UN became the stage for a political earthquake as the struggle for independence in the Congo put the world on high alert. The newly independent nation faced its first coup d'état, orchestrated by Western forces and Belgium, which were reluctant to relinquish control over their resource-rich former colony. The US tried to divert attention by sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to the African continent. In 1961, Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba was brutally assassinated, silencing a key voice in the fight against colonialism; his death was facilitated by Belgian and CIA operatives. Musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach took action, denouncing imperialism and structural racism. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev intensified his criticism of the US, highlighting the racial barriers that characterized American society.
Dwight David Eisenhower (pronounced [ˈaɪzənhaʊər]) (October 14, 1890 - March 28, 1969), nicknamed "Ike", was the 34th President of the United States, during two terms from January 20, 1953 to January 20, 1961. During World War II, he is General of the Army and Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in Europe. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the United States from 1945 to 1948 and Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe from April 2, 1951 to May 30, 1952. As President of the United States, he oversaw the ceasefire - fire in Korea, launched the space race, developed the network of interstate highways and made the development of nuclear weapons one of its priorities in the context of the cold war with the USSR.