Cover

Publisher Note

Culled from a collection of 70,000 negatives from the archives of the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, the images in this remarkable collection were taken by Amin’s personal photographers between the 1950s and mid-1980s. Like many dictators, Amin used photography as a means of spreading propaganda that would flatter his regime while obscuring its failures and abuses. Organized into thematic sections, these photographs show how Amin sought to gain support for acts such as his expulsion of tens of thousands of South Asians in 1972 and for the »Economic War«, in which citizens charged with petty theft were tried and executed. There are portraits of Amin with other leaders—such as Louis Farrakhan or King Sihanouk of Cambodia—and with members of his family. There are also fascinating insights into the ways Amin hoped to promote Ugandan arts and culture, including a food-eating competition in Kampala and ceremonial visits to remote villages. The book includes revelatory archival documents recently unearthed concerning the Amin government. Essays by the authors, both experts in the field, help provide a context for the archive, as well as insights into how the lessons learned from this dark period of African history can shine a light towards a brighter future for Uganda and its people.

Photobook

The Unseen Archive of Idi Amin

by Various Authors

Publisher
Release Place London, United Kingdom
Edition 1st edition
Release Date 2021
Credits
Artist: Various Authors
Identifiers
ISBN-13: 978-3-7913-8645-4
Work  
Subform Photobook
Topics African Archive
Methods Photography
Language English
Format hardcover
Dimensions 22.0 × 28.0 cm
Pages 160