French West Africa
Senegal, 1895–1958. Draft, not yet reviewed
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa. The federation existed from 1895 until 1958. Its capital was Saint-Louis in Senegal until 1902, and then Dakar until the federation's collapse in 1960. Until after World War II, most West Africans living in the colonies of France were not citizens of France.
Seat of power: Dakar
Rulers
Ernest Roume
governor general of French West Africa, 1902–1907
He was a French colonial administrator and governor of French West Africa from 15 March 1902 to 15 December 1907.
Portrait of Ernest Roume: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, file
Martial Merlin
governor general of French West Africa, 1907–1908
He served as governor-general of French West Africa from 1907 to 1908 and of French Equatorial Africa from 1908 to 1917.
Portrait of Martial Merlin: Agence Meurisse (domaine public, voir notice complète sur Gallica), Public domain, file
Joost van Vollenhoven
governor general of French West Africa, 1917–1918
In May 1917 he returned to his civil duties as Governor General of French West Africa. He died in the Second Battle of the Marne.
Portrait of Joost van Vollenhoven: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Gabriel Louis Angoulvant
governor general of French West Africa, 1918–1919
He was appointed governor of French Ivory Coast in 1908 and sent military expeditions into the hinterland to quell resistance.
Portrait of Gabriel Louis Angoulvant: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Martial Merlin
governor general of French West Africa, 1919–1923
He served as governor-general of French West Africa from 1919 to 1923 and of French Indochina from 1923 to 1925.
Portrait of Martial Merlin: Agence Meurisse (domaine public, voir notice complète sur Gallica), Public domain, file
Jules Brévié
governor general of French West Africa, 1930–1936
He promoted liberal and humanistic policies, and thought it important to have deep understanding of the local people and respect for their civilization. He saw the role of the administration as being the economic and human development of the people.
Portrait of Jules Brévié: éditeur : Soler, Public domain, file
Culture
- In 1914, the first African, Blaise Diagne, was elected as the deputy for Senegal in the French Parliament.
- In 1916, Diagne pushed a law through the National Assembly (loi Blaise Diagne) granting full citizenship to all residents of the so-called Four Communes.
- In 1905, the French officially abolished slavery in most of French West Africa.
- In 1946, the Loi Lamine Guèye granted some limited citizenship rights to natives of the African colonies.
Picture
Gorée is an island located two kilometres at sea from the main harbour of Dakar, famous as a destination for people interested in the Atlantic slave trade.
Image: Gregor Rom, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.