History & Area Studies / World History / African History
How a Hotel Manager Saved 1,268 Lives During the Rwanda Genocide: The True Story of An Ordinary Man
In 1994, Rwanda descended into a 100-day genocide that claimed 800,000 lives. Amid the chaos, one man—Paul Rusesabagina, the manager of the Hotel Mille Collines—used his wits, words, and a stash of alcohol to protect 1,268 refugees from certain death. This is not a tale of superheroics, but of an ordinary man who refused to abandon his post. Drawing from his autobiography "An Ordinary Man," co-authored with Tom Zoellner, we explore the fabricated racial divides, the weaponization of hate radio, the cold calculus of international politics, and the surprising power of polite conversation against unspeakable evil. Discover how a simple hotel manager turned negotiation into a lifeline, and what his story reveals about humanity's darkest and brightest moments. Watch to understand the real lessons of courage, survival, and the fragile nature of civilization.
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