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It's July 1960 and inside a chauffered black Cadillac, Congo's Prime Minister, Patrice

Lumumba, stares out the window as the gilded streets and skyscrapers of Manhattan flashed

past. He landed in America full of hope, but now he feels his optimism leaching away.

His country is in crisis.

The province of Katanga has declared independence with tacit support from Belgium.

And without resource-rich Katanga, Congo's economic future looks bleak.

Lumumba came to New York seeking international help,

but while the United Nations agreed to send in peacekeepers to help restore order in Congo,

it drew the line at fighting Katangan rebels.

So Lumumba turned to the Soviet delegation at the UN.

They offered vocal support but made no promises.

Now he has just one last hope for military intervention in Katanga.

U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower.

As Lumumba's car heads north alongside Central Park towards Harlem, he turns to the US official who's travelling with him.

It is unfortunate that I will not have the opportunity to meet President Eisenhower.

I very much hope to thank him for the American people's continued efforts to bring about progress in Africa.

Prime Minister, I already explained.

The President sends his apologies, but is unavailable to meet you.

Surely there must be a way.

I'm the Prime Minister of Central Africa's largest country.

I am a world leader, and I have come here to meet with my United States counterpart.

...