Doing historical research in the People's Republic of the Congo is not only now possible for Americans, it is also enjoyable. Relatively little red tape is required to obtain the necessary authorizations. The Archives Nationales du Congo are well organized, run efficiently, and rich in administrative documents for French Equatorial Africa.

While I was there (February through August 1979), the procedure for getting research permits was being formalized. It would be best, at this point, to write the Ministre de la Culture, des Arts et des Sports chargé de la Recherche Scientifique in Brazzaville about your proposed work. Send a carbon of that letter to the Congolese Embassy to the United Nations in New York. (As of November, 1979, the Congolese Embassy in Washington, D.C. had not yet opened. Visa requests should also go to New York.) Also write the cultural attaché of the American Embassy, B.P. 1010, Brazzaville with your plans. After arriving in Brazzaville, the cultural attaché will apply for your “autorisation de recherche” through the minister of foreign affairs. This authorization will be sent to you and also to the appropriate ministries (depending on your topic) and will allow you to use the university and the Bibliothèque Nationale. In my case it took about three weeks to get my “autorisation” but I was able to begin work without it.

A permit from the tourist office is necessary to take pictures. The Congo has few tourists and many people do not like having their picture taken so that photography must be done with discretion and sensitivity. To travel, you should get a permit, again from the tourist office. It is advisable to inform the authorities of your plans. Note that the roads are terrible, making wheeled travel very difficult.