🔅 Photobombing de Gaulle
A Win for Africa: UFC’s Latest Showdown
Image of the Day
Spotlight Stories
Photobombing de Gaulle: The Untold Story of a Black Hero in WWII's Liberation of Paris
In the iconic photos of General Charles de Gaulle triumphantly parading down the Champs-Élysées after the liberation of Nazi-occupied Paris in August 1944, a diminutive Black man in billowing culottes and a white shirt with his arm in a sling can be spotted just a few feet away. His name was Georges Dukson, and his presence in those historic shots was no accident—it was an act of defiance against the racist "whitewashing" of the liberation, according to Gary Younge, professor of sociology at Manchester university.
You see, in the lead-up to Paris's big day, de Gaulle and the Allied command had agreed that only white French troops would be allowed to enter the capital first, despite the fact that soldiers from Africa and other colonies made up the bulk of Free French forces. This "blanchiment" (whitening) saw Black soldiers confined to barracks at the last minute and replaced with white counterparts. The freedom they fought for, it seemed, didn't apply to them.
But Georges Dukson, a larger-than-life sergeant from Gabon, didn't get the memo. A former prisoner of war who escaped German captivity, Dukson had spent the occupation years as a resistance fighter, earning the nickname "the Black Lion of the 17th arrondissement" for his daring exploits. Injured but undaunted, he inserted himself into the victory parade, marching and gesticulating beside de Gaulle as cameras clicked away.
His defiant photobombing wrote him and countless other African troops back into the history they helped shape. For if Europe's myth of the "good war" has long erased the presence of Black people, the truth is they were integral to the continent's liberation, from the Tirailleurs Sénégalais who held the line against Rommel in North Africa to the African-American Red Ball Express truckers who kept Allied supply lines rolling.
Spotting Dukson in those faded photos invites us to reimagine WWII as the multiracial endeavor it was—and to ponder how different conversations around race, belonging and sacrifice in today's Europe might be if that history had not been so thoroughly whitewashed. In a France still grappling with its colonial past, Dukson's act of resistance resonates as a reminder of the service and courage of African soldiers too often left out of the picture.
Tragically, the "Black Lion" did not live to see his legacy reclaimed. Just days after his star turn on the Champs-Élysées, Dukson was arrested for black-market trading and shot while attempting to escape custody. He died on the operating table, his heroism unsung. But 80 years on, the ghost of Georges Dukson has photobombed his way back into the history books, forcing a reckoning with the whitewashed past. His defiant image, forever preserved beside the towering figure of de Gaulle, is a reminder of how Black lives mattered in the fight for Europe's freedom, whether the continent cares to remember it or not.
UFC’s All-African Showdown
Folks, if you missed the UFC middleweight title fight between South Africa's Dricus du Plessis and Nigeria-born Israel Adesanya, you missed a cultural clash of epic proportions.
These two fighters were throwing more than just punches – they were hurling insults left and right, making this fight a must-see for UFC fans and drama lovers alike.
But there was a plot twist at the end of it. Here are the takeaways according to Okay Africa:
The Champ Remains the Champ": Du Plessis walked into the octagon with the swagger of a man who knew he was about to make history. And boy, did he deliver! After surviving a flurry of body shots and attempting a few submissions, du Plessis finally got Adesanya to tap out in the fourth round with a rear naked choke. Talk about a clutch performance!
Respect Earned, Respect Given: Despite all the trash talk leading up to the fight, du Plessis and Adesanya showed a lot of respect for each other after the final bell. Du Plessis even gifted Adesanya his jacket with a South African flag on it – a true sign of sportsmanship.
Africa Takes the W: This historic All-African title match wasn't just a win for du Plessis – it was a win for the entire continent. Both fighters acknowledged the significance of their bout and how it could inspire the next generation of African MMA stars. And with the UFC eyeing a potential event in Africa next year, the future looks bright for the sport on the continent.
So there you have it – an all-African UFC showdown for the ages. With du Plessis cementing his status as the middleweight king and Adesanya vowing to keep fighting, the UFC's African takeover might just be getting started.
Mpox Vaccines: DRC Set to Receive First Doses from US
Congo, the country grappling with the lion's share of mpox cases worldwide, is about to get a much-needed shot in the arm. Literally.
Health Minister Roger Kamba announced that the first vaccine doses to combat the mpox outbreak will be arriving from the United States next week.
Recently, scientists have identified a new version of mpox in Congo that might be more easily transmitted. This variant causes milder symptoms and lesions in, shall we say, more intimate areas, making it harder to detect.
But for doctors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), this latest mpox outbreak is just another day at the office. Remember, they've been tackling the outbreak since 2022, all while dealing with medicine shortages, an ongoing rebellion in the east, and the lingering trauma of years spent fighting Covid and Ebola epidemics.
This mpox outbreak has led to 17,000 mpox cases and 500 deaths worldwide this year. DRC itself currently needs 3 million vaccine doses, but it's unclear how many will be sent to the country next week.
The WHO recently identified mpox for the first time in four East African countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. All of these outbreaks were linked to the epidemic in Congo.
Meanwhile, some health officials have urged against travel bans on countries facing mpox outbreaks, and the Africa CDC has stressed the need for public education on mpox transmission, emphasizing that it spreads through close contact, not just sexual activity.
While the 2022 global outbreak primarily affected gay and bisexual men, children now account for 70% of cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Food for Thought
“Silence is also a form of speech.”
— Fulani Proverb, Burkina Faso