1. Négritude Term coined in 1930’s Poets from Martinique, Senegal, French Guiana Reaction against European colonization of Africa Reaction against the legacy of cultural racism Focus on upholding African cultural roots

3. Video from Democracy Now! Born in Martinique Studied in Paris Teacher in Martinique Elected as a mayor

4. Mississipi By Aimé Césaire (translated from the French by A. James Arnold and Clayton Eshleman) Too bad for you men who don’t notice that my eyes remember slings and black flags which murder with each blink of my Mississipi lashes Too bad for you men who do not see who do not see anything not even the gorgeous railway signals formed under my eyelids by the black and red discs of the coral snake that my munificence coils in my Mississipi tears Too bad for you men who do not see that in the depth of the reticule where chance has deposited our Mississipi eyes there waits a buffalo sunk to the very hilt of the swamp’s eyes Too bad for you men who do not see that you cannot stop me from building to his fill egg-headed islands of flagrant sky under the calm ferocity of the immense geranium of our sun.

5. Born in Senegal Educated in Paris Friend of Aimé Césaire Served in French Army during WW2 – spent 18 mo. in German prison camp Represented Senegal in French National Assembly Led Senegal’s Independence movement in 1960 1 st democratically elected president of Senegal – held presidency for 20 years

8. From Guadeloupe Worked as Colonial Administrator in Africa Taken as prisoner during WW2 with Léopold Senghor Represented United Nations in Africa