Katanga
Katanga International Fair Issue with First Day Cancellation
in Souvenir Booklet
Katanga International Fair Issue with First Day Cancellation
The province of Katanga broke away from the Congo on July 11, 1960. As part of its efforts to present itself to the world as a legitimate nation, Katanga hosted an international fair in July 1961. Modelled on colonial era events, it gave President Tshombe a chance to enhance the credibility of his office and his nation. A set of stamps issued on July 8 to commemorate the event was another element of the campaign. The pages of a commemorative booklet in which the stamps were mounted and given a first day cancellation documents the economic, legal and cultural attributes that justified Katanga's nationhood. Although Katanga's stamps were tolerated on international mail, the government was never recognized. In September 1961 the United Nations declared the secession had ended but the process of reintegrating the province into the Congo continued as late as August 30, 1964.
Map of Breakaway Province of Katanga
Bibliography
Kennes, Erik and Miles Larme. The Katangese Gendarmes and War in Central Africa: Fighting Their Way Home.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2016.
"Katanga." Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. 1997.
Rossiter, Stuart and John Flower. The Stamp Atlas. London: Macdonald and Co., 1986.
Direct comments, questions and corrections to:
stampquestions@hotmail.com
© Grose Educational Media, 2019
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