Léopold Sédar Senghor

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Léopold Sédar Senghor
1st President of Senegal
In office
6 September 1960 – 31 December 1980
Prime MinisterAbdou Diouf
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byAbdou Diouf
Personal details
Born(1906-10-09)9 October 1906
Joal, French West Africa (present-day Senegal)
Died20 December 2001(2001-12-20) (aged 95)
Verson, France
Political partySocialist Party of Senegal
Spouse(s)Ginette Éboué (1946-1956)
Colette Hubert Senghor (m. 1957–2001)
; his death
Alma materUniversity of Paris
Signature

Léopold Sédar Senghor (9 October 1906 – 20 December 2001) was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist. He was the first president of Senegal (1960–80). He was part of the Négritude movement. Some people called him an African socialist, but many Senegalese socialists thought he was not really socialist because he was supported by France[1] and put communists in Senegal in jail.[2] He also started the Senegalese Democratic Bloc party.

Senghor was the first African allowed to join the Académie française. Many people think he is one of the most important intellectuals from Africa during the 20th century.[3]

References[change | change source]

  1. "'La Françafrique': The Special Relationship Between France and Its Former Colonies in Africa". INSAMER English. 2019-02-08. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  2. "Marxism and Islam in Africa". africasacountry.com. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  3. "Léopold Senghor". The Daily Telegraph. 2001-12-21. Retrieved 2012-04-06.

Other websites[change | change source]

Media related to Léopold Sédar Senghor at Wikimedia Commons