Léopold Sédar Senghor

Léopold Sédar Senghor (October 9, 1906 – December 20, 2001) was a Senegalese poet and politician who served as the first president of Senegal (1960–1980). He also started his own party, called the Senegalese Democratic Bloc.

Senghor started his studies in his homeland, and finished them at the University of Paris, where he received the Agrégation in French Grammar. Subsequently, he was designated professor at the Universities of Tours and Paris, during the period between 1935 and 1945.

His poetry was widely acclaimed, and he was the first African to be asked to join the Académie française in 1983. He wrote the lyrics of the national anthem of Senegal: Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons. While in France, Senghor became friends with Aimé Césaire and Georges Pompidou (future President of France).

With Aimé Césaire and Léon Damas, Senghor created the concept of Négritude, an important philosophical movement that sought to distance African culture from European influences. In 1948, Senghor compiled and edited a volume of francophone poetry called Anthologie de la nouvelle poésie nègre et malgache for which Jean-Paul Sartre wrote an introduction, entitled "Orphée Noir" (Black Orpheus).

He began his political career in 1945, after he was elected deputy of Senegal in the French National Assembly. During the cabinet presided by Edgar Faure, he was appointed Secretary of State. He supported the decolonization of Africa, and when Senegal declared its independence, in 1960, Senghor was elected president.

Senghor's tenure as president was characterized by the development of African socialism, which was created as an indigenous alternative to Marxism, drawing heavily from the négritude philosophy. In developing this, he was assisted by Ousmane Tanor Dieng. On December 31, 1980, he retired in favor of his prime minister, Abdou Diouf.

"Je ne suis pas sûr de mourir. Et si c'était ça l'enfer ? (I'm not sure that I will die. Maybe this is hell?)" said Senghor in 1996 at the time of post-retirement life.

Senghor died on December 20, 2001 in Normandy, France and was buried in his homeland Joal, Senegal. For his epitaph was a poem he had written, namely:

Quand je serai mort, mes amis, couchez-moi sous Joal-l'Ombreuse.

Sur la colline au bord du Mamanguedy, près l'oreille du sanctuaire des Serpents.

Mais entre le Lion couchez-moi et l'aïeule Tening-Ndyae.

Quand je serai mort mes amis, couchez-moi sous Joal-la-Portugaise.

Des pierres du Fort vous ferez ma tombe, et les canons garderont le silence.

Deux lauriers roses-blanc et rose-embaumeront la Signare.

The airport of Dakar, Dakar-Yoff-Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport, is named after him.

Works of Senghor

Chants d'ombre (1945)
Hosties noires (1948)
Anthologie de la nouvelle poésie nègre et malgache (1948)
Ethiopiques (1956)
Nocturnes (1961)
Lettres de d'hivernage (1973)
Elégies majeures (1979)
La poésie de l'action : conversation avec Mohamed Aziza (1980)
Ce que je crois (1988)

Legacy

Although a socialist, Senghor avoided the Marxist and anti-Western ideology that had become popular in post-colonial Africa, favouring the maintenance of close ties with France and the western world. This is seen by many as a contributing factor to Senegal's political stability- it remains one of the few African nations never to have had a coup, and to have always had a peaceful transfer of power.

External links

Léopold Sédar Senghor, universel (No. 182, Paroles, Alliance Française Hong Kong) (in French)
Académie française -- Discourse of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing on his predecessor in Fauteuil 16 at the Académie.
Biography, Bibliography (in French)

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Léopold Sédar Senghor

Works of Senghor

Legacy

See also

External links