Smallpox has been referred to as humankind’s most feared disease, and its eradication was an achievement many experts had declared to be impossible. This course will look at one family’s two-year experience of the smallpox eradication/ measles control campaign in early post-colonial Africa, specifically in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. After a brief look at the political backstory, we’ll explore not only the expected challenges to smallpox eradication—logistics, communication, disinformation, politics, etc., but also the unexpected—becoming half of America’s smallest embassy and keeping a program alive in a brutal and isolated dictatorship. We’ll offer a glimpse into the final days of smallpox in Bangladesh and, finally, recognize that smallpox the disease is gone; the virus isn’t. This course is supported by private archives of personal and official documents, including photos and letters.

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