Léopold Sédar Senghor

9 October 1906 – 20 December 2001

Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese poet, cultural theorist, and politician who served as the first president of Senegal from 1960 to 1980. A leading intellectual of the Négritude movement, he was the first African elected to the Académie française.

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Life events

Born in Joal, Senegal
9 October 1906

Senghor was born in the coastal town of Joal in French West Africa.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Studied in Paris
1928 – 1935

He studied at the Sorbonne and became the first African to gain the agrégation in grammar.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Developed the Négritude movement
c. 1935

With Aimé Césaire and others, he helped shape the Négritude literary and cultural movement.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Published Chants d'ombre
1945

He published his first collection of poetry.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Became President of Senegal
6 September 1960 – 31 December 1980

He became the first president of independent Senegal.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Voluntarily left the presidency
31 December 1980

He stepped down from the presidency, a rare peaceful transfer of power in the region.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Elected to the Académie française
2 June 1983

He became the first African member of the French Academy.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Died in Verson, France
20 December 2001

He died at his home in Normandy, France.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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