Who Killed Hammarskjold?

The UN, The Cold War and White Supremacy in Africa

Williams Susan

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The death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold remains one of the biggest mysteries of the twentieth century.

Shortly after midnight on 18 September 1961, an aircraft carrying Hammarskjold and his UN team crashed into dark forest in the British colony of Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), abruptly ending his mission to bring peace to the Congo. Many around the world suspected sabotage, pointing the finger at Britain, Belgium, the USA, and South Africa, as well as the huge multinationals with mining interests in the region. These suspicions have never gone away.

A man who cared deeply about social justice, Hammarskjold sought to shield the newly-independent nations from the predatory aims of the Great Powers. His enemies included colonialists and settlers in Africa who were determined to maintain white minority rule.

In "Who Killed Hammarskjold?", Susan Williams carefully navigates a mass of secret documents and witness testimonies suggesting a massive cover-up, to present a case which has already triggered a new investigation by the United Nations.

About the Author

Susan Williams has published widely on Africa, decolonisation and the global power shifts of the twentieth century. Her widely acclaimed book on the founding president of Botswana, "Colour Bar" (Penguin, 2006), recently became a major motion picture (A United Kingdom). "Who Killed Hammarskjold?" (2011) triggered a fresh UN inquiry into the death of the secretary general. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London.

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