American Museum Congo Expedition (1909–1915)

1. AMNH begins planning a Congo collecting expedition

   Jan 1, 1907Labels: AMNH, Morris K, Congo Free

   • AMNH Archives
   • AMNH Congo Guide

2. Belgian government gifts thousands of Congo objects to AMNH

   Jan 1, 1907Labels: Belgian government, AMNH, Congo artifacts

   • AMNH Archives
   • AMNH African Ethnography

3. Congo Free State becomes the Belgian Congo

   Jan 1, 1908Labels: Congo Free, Belgian Congo, Belgian administration

   • AMNH Archives
   • Britannica Congo

4. Lang selected to lead; Chapin chosen as assistant

   Jan 1, 1908Labels: Herbert Lang, James P, AMNH expedition

   • AMNH Congo Guide
   • AMNH Archives

5. Belgian authorities formally authorize the expedition

   Apr 2, 1909Labels: Belgian authorities, AMNH permission, collecting authorization

   • AMNH Archives

6. Lang and Chapin depart New York for the Congo

   May 8, 1909Labels: Herbert Lang, James P, New York

   • AMNH Archives
   • AMNH Congo Guide

7. Expedition arrives at Boma and begins field operations

   Jun 22, 1909Labels: Boma, AMNH expedition, port of

   • AMNH Archives

8. First major base established at Avakubi

   Sep 30, 1909Labels: Avakubi, field base, Lang and

   • AMNH Archives

9. Medje base camp supports intensive multi-year collecting

   Jan 13, 1910Labels: Medje, base camp, collecting series

   • AMNH Archives
   • AMNH Photos

10. Expedition expands collecting and documentation across northeastern Congo

    Jan 1, 1911Labels: Northeastern Congo, AMNH collections, field documentation

    • AMNH Congo Guide
    • AMNH Photos

11. World War I disrupts conditions as returns begin

    Aug 1, 1914Labels: World War, expedition logistics, transport disruptions

    • AMNH Archives

12. Chapin departs the Congo with part of the collection

    Mar 31, 1915Labels: James P, collection shipment, return journey

    • AMNH Archives

13. Lang returns to New York, concluding the expedition

    Nov 12, 1915Labels: Herbert Lang, New York, expedition end

    • AMNH Archives
    • AMNH Congo Guide

14. AMNH inventories expedition materials and assesses scale

    Jan 1, 1916Labels: AMNH inventory, expedition materials, museum curation

    • AMNH Congo Guide
    • AMNH Archives

15. Chapin begins publishing “The Birds of the Belgian Congo”

    Jan 1, 1932Labels: James P, The Birds, AMNH Bulletin

    • BHL Part I
    • Wiki Chapin

16. Later volumes extend the expedition’s scientific legacy

    Jan 1, 1939Labels: Chapin volumes, scientific legacy, AMNH publications

    • BHL Part II
    • AMNH Congo Guide