Patrice Lumumba, a Congolese independence leader and first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, passed away on January 17th, 1961 at the age of 35. A lifelong political activist, Lumumba was a prominent figure in the fight for Congolese independence from Belgian colonial rule. His activism and writings largely influenced the Congolese push for independence, a plan that succeeded in 1960. Lumumba was subsequently elected Prime Minister of the newly independent Congo, only to be overthrown in a coup later that same year. Following his overthrow, Lumumba was captured, tortured, and executed. Patrice Lumumba was an influential leader in the decolonization movements of the early 1960s, and his short but powerful career left a lasting legacy on the people of the Congo.