Pygmy Kitabu

I think although written as an autobiaraphy this book should be included in black history teaching.

I met Jean-Pierre in 1963 on the Island of Tahiti. I was very happy to spend some time with him out in the lagoon doing a little bit of spear fishing. The stories that he told about his life in the Belgian Congo were to me at that time unbelievable. I thought "well this guy can sure tell some tales." We spent a few days until I had to leave for the Island of Bora-Bora and I didn't see him again until 1967 in San Francisco, California. He was to give a speech at the San Francisco Press Club, and then he autographed his book "Congo Kitabu" the same day at a book store. He did me the honor of giving me that book which I cherish proudly even more than 30 years later. I was in my early 20's then and I was proud to have met a truly great man.

The experiences that this man documents in his "Kitabu" (Swahili for book) series (Animal, Congo, & Pygmy) are the sort of things movies are now being made of. I attended school with his family in the late 60s and was fortunate enough to have met him several times. Jean Pierre Hallet is the true hero of his time. He was a giant of a man - both literally and figuratively.