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Léopold Sédar Senghor.

Léopold Sédar Senghor
Born Joal-la-Portugaise
Died Verson, France
Citizenship Senegal
Would Be 119 yr If Living

TL;DR

Senghor became Senegal’s first president in 1960, serving until 1980. He was also a writer, with his work featured in the film Batouk 1967. He died on 20 December 2001 in Verson, Normandy, France at age 95.

At a glance.

STATS

Léopold Sédar Senghor by the numbers — life, work, and family.

95 Years lived
10 Film credits
6 Books
32 Awards
2 Marriages

Family ties.

KIN · 3

The relatives of Léopold Sédar Senghor — parents, partners, children, and siblings.

PARENTS
Basie
SPOUSES
Ginette Éboué Colette Hubert

Who was Léopold Sédar Senghor?

BIOGRAPHY

Léopold Sédar Senghor — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Born on 9 October 1906 in Joal-la-Portugaise, French West Africa now Senegal, Senghor was raised by his parent Basie. He attended the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris, then studied at the Faculty of Arts of Paris and the École Normale Supérieure.

Career

Senghor served as Senegal’s first president after independence, from 1960 to 1980. He also wrote, and his work appears in the film Batouk 1967. He received many honors, including the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour and the Peace Prize of the German Publishers’ and Booksellers’ Association.

Personal life

Senghor married twice: first to Ginette Éboué, daughter of Félix Éboué, and later to Colette Hubert, who was born on 20 November 1925 in Normandy. Colette Hubert died on 18 November 2019 in Verson. Senghor himself died of natural causes on 20 December 2001 in Verson, Normandy, France.

Legacy

Senghor shaped Senegal’s early years as its founding president. He also wrote, and his work appeared in the film Batouk 1967. He won awards including the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding and the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca.

Filmography.

FILMS · 10

Browse the complete filmography of Léopold Sédar Senghor — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

  1. TV Poster for Le Grand ÉChiquier

    Le Grand ÉChiquier

  2. TV Poster for Apostrophes

    Apostrophes

  3. TV Poster for 30 Millions D'amis

    30 Millions D'amis

  4. Movie Poster for Papa Césaire

    Papa Césaire

  5. Movie Poster for Aimé Césaire: the Mask of Words

    Aimé Césaire: the Mask of Words

  6. Movie Poster for Français, Si Vous Saviez

    Français, Si Vous Saviez

  7. Movie Poster for Léon G. Damas

    Léon G. Damas

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 6

Léopold Sédar Senghor's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

  1. Cover for Prose and Poetry

    Prose and Poetry

    by Léopold Sédar Senghor

  2. Cover for Selected Poems

    Selected Poems

    by Léopold Sédar Senghor

  3. Cover for Atlas Du Continent Africain

    Atlas Du Continent Africain

    by Léopold Sédar Senghor

  4. Cover for Léopold Sédar Senghor, Un Poète

    Léopold Sédar Senghor, Un Poète

    by Léopold Sédar Senghor et al.

  5. Cover for Le Dialogue Des Cultures

    Le Dialogue Des Cultures

    by Léopold Sédar Senghor

  6. Cover for Socialisme Et Planification

    Socialisme Et Planification

    by Léopold Sédar Senghor

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 32

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Léopold Sédar Senghor — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

  • Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit
  • Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
  • Commander of the French Order of Academic Palms
  • Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion
  • Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
  • doctor honoris causa from the University of Paris
  • Collar of the Order of Pope Pius IX
  • honorary doctorate from the University of Strasbourg
  • honorary doctorate at the Laval University
  • honorary doctor of the University of Bordeaux
  • Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' Association
  • Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
  • Prix Guillaume Apollinaire
  • Grand Collar of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword
  • Golden Wreath
  • Prince Pierre Award
  • Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
  • Prix mondial Cino Del Duca
  • doctor honoris causa from the University of Nancy
  • honorary doctor of Paris Descartes University
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding
  • honorary doctorate from University of Bordeaux-II
  • Dr. Leopold Lucas Prize
  • International Nonino Prize
  • honorary doctorate from ENS
  • Distinguished Africanist Award
  • Grand prix littéraire en poésie d'Afrique noire
  • anniversary medal at the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian Empire
  • Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
  • honorary doctorate of Salzburg University
  • honorary doctor of the University of Vienna
  • honorary doctor of the University of Padua

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 1

A wall of memorable lines from Léopold Sédar Senghor — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

  • I Wear European Clothing, and the Americans Dance to Jazz Which Derives from Our African Rhythms: Civilization in the 20Th Century Is Universal. No People Can Get Along Without Others.

Did you know?

FACTS · 6

Little-known facts about Léopold Sédar Senghor — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

  1. Senghor served as the first president of Senegal from 1960 to 1980 after the country gained independence from France.

  2. He studied at the Sorbonne, one of the most prestigious universities in France.

  3. His first wife, Ginette Éboué, was the daughter of Félix Éboué, a prominent French colonial administrator.

  4. His second wife, Colette Hubert, born on 20 November 1925 in Normandy, died in Verson on 18 November 2019.

  5. A biography of Senghor appears in Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series, vol. 134, pages 408-416.

  6. Senghor is also known under the names Leopold Senghor, Léopold Sedar Senghor, Léopold Léonard Shengor, and Senghor Léopold Sédar.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 32

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Léopold Sédar Senghor.