French Equatorial Africa Research Articles

France's Relationship with Subsaharan Africa

Tables Preface History of French West Africa until World War II History of French Equatorial Africa until World War II World War II and Reorganization Loi-cadre Reforms and de Gaulle's Return Decolonization Independence General de Gaulle and His Successors Cultural Considerations Economic Ties Historical Perspectives on How the French View the Africans Appendices Glossary Bibliography Index

Contesting Clothes in Colonial Brazzaville

The significance of dress in mediating social relations was deeply rooted in the Central African experience. In pre-colonial times, clothing, jewellery and insignia conveyed identity, status, values and a sense of occasion. Those with access to European trade cloth and second-hand clothes integrated them into their dress. Central Africans had a strong sense of the “politics of costume” long before new sources and ideas of clothing arrived with colonialism.Brazzaville, the capital of French Equatorial Africa, then became the scene of opportunity, experimentation and choice. Foreign workers from West Africa, the French Antilles and the Central African coastal regions pioneered new styles which were quickly appropriated and adapted by other townspeople. Europeans, in their attire, also seemed to confirm the importance of dress and were a model for those who considered themselvesévolués.In handing out clothing, European employers and missionaries had their own agenda, which was rejected by many townspeople as an autonomous fashion sense developed in Bacongo and Poto-Poto, the African districts of Brazzaville. With an entrenched monetary economy, cloth and clothing became widely available to all with cash. Styles, costs and values became issues of contention. Clothing not only symbolized change but became a vehicle for change.In the late colonial period, the sources allow a deeper understanding of the relationship of dress to controversial social issues. Clothing became an arena for contesting and asserting class, gender and generational roles.

Colonialism, youth and football in french equatorial Africa

Colonialism, youth and football in french equatorial Africa

The Origins of African Population Growth

This collection of seventeen essays, like most collections, is uneven and sometimes unsatisfactory, but it merits more than a routine notice because at several points it touches on the most important problem in modern African history. Most of the essays, it is true, do not. Among the connections between capitalism and demography which the book treats, the most popular with contributors is migration, which is described in Senegal, Burkina, Niger, French Equatorial Africa, Zaire, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, and South Africa (with reference to Johannesburg's population history). Although several of these essays are useful (that on the Ovimbundu especially raises interesting questions), they cover a wellworked subject which is important but not critical to Africa's demographic history. The same might be said of Myron Echenberg's essay on the population estimates made by the French military in West Africa. Patrick Manning's attempt to simulate the impact of the Atlantic slave trade on different regions of West Africa touches on more central issues. Martin Klein argues for a slave mode of production in the Western Soudan during the late nineteenth century, while Abdullahi Mahadi and J. E. Inikori contribute a provocative suggestion that the general underpopulation of West Africa so limited the market as to prevent the growth of capitalism even in the region's most developed area around Kano, although I suspect that this neglects the fact that the sheer size of the market was no guarantee of capitalist production, as the histories of India and China suggest.' Yet these chapters are not what makes the book important. It is important because it is the first collective attack on what might be called the natalist interpretation of African history. Natalism as the editors (who do not use the word) explain in their excellent introduction sees Africa in the framework of demographic transition theory. It argues that precolonial African societies had very high fertility rates because they were needed to counteract equally high mortality rates caused by disease, famine, violence, and isolation. Even so, precolonial Africa remained severely underpopulated. With the coming of European medicine, peace, and famine relief, mortality declined while fertility at first remained high. The result was the accelerating population growth which perhaps first became apparent on a continental scale between the wars and is likely to dominate African history for several generations to come. The next stage of demographic transition the decline of fertility is as yet apparent south of the Sahara only in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa.2 Natalism, then, sees the roots of Africa's present population problem in the high fertility of precolonial societies and the positive

Espionage in Africa: the Case of the Duchess

The effects of the Second World War on British colonial Africa were far-reaching and unexpected. Colonial governments, hitherto concerned with establishing and preserving law and order, with administration, the collection of taxation, and with slow economic development, had perforce to divert their energies into more varied and unorthodox channels. Troops were recruited from the colonies and in addition local Home Guards were formed. African colonies acquired a new strategic importance and became the scene for new intelligence and counter-espionage activities: this was especially so after the French government signed the armistice with Germany on 22 June 1940. On the following day the British government promised that if French overseas territories continued the war against the Nazis Britain would guarantee their integrity and economic stability, as well as providing funds to pay the salaries and pensions of French colonial officials. The governor of Nigeria, Sir Bernard Bourdillon, did much to encourage the rallitmcnt of neighbouring Vichy colonies to the Free French cause of General de Gaulle. It was part of French propaganda to exaggerate British involvement in the French colonies and to paint de Gaulle as simply a tool of British imperialism; and it was part of Britain's propaganda to minimize her own role and to stress that the British were simply supporting the initiatives of the Free French. As a result we have not yet been presented with a balanced and scholarly assessment of the contribution which the British in Nigeria made to the ralliement of French Equatorial Africa and the Cameroons in August 1940.

Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Gaeumannomyces graminis var. graminis . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Gramineae (in nature on Oryza, Pennisetum, Stenotaphrum, Triticum and possibly others including Axonopus, Chloris and Cynodon ; artificially infecting Avena ); also said to overwinter on sheaths of Typha latifolia (Tullis, 1951). Due to possible confusion between this fungus and G. graminis var. tritici , the host ranges of both need more detailed study. DISEASE: Crown sheath rot of rice (Ou, 1972) sometimes called brown (or black) sheath rot and Arkansas foot rot. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Probably widespread: reported from Australia (NSW), Central African Republic, French Equatorial Africa, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan (Ou, 1972), Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sweden (Nilsson, 1972), Tanzania, USA (Ark., La., Texas). TRANSMISSION: Presumably soil-borne. The part played by ascospores in spreading the fungus is not known. It is carried on roots, stolons and leaf sheaths of several grasses. There is one report of possible spread with seed (42, 727; 47, 3058).

Nigerian Official Publications, 1869-1959: A Guide. Helen F. ConoverOfficial Publications of Somaliland, 1941-1959: A Guide. Helen F. ConoverOfficial Publications of French West Africa, 1946-1958: A Guide. Helen F. ConoverOfficial Publications of British East Africa. Part I. The East Africa High Commission and Other Regional Documents. Helen F. ConoverOfficial Publications of British East Africa. Part II. Tanganyika. Audrey A. WalkerOfficial Publications

<i>Nigerian Official Publications, 1869-1959: A Guide</i>. Helen F. Conover<i>Official Publications of Somaliland, 1941-1959: A Guide</i>. Helen F. Conover<i>Official Publications of French West Africa, 1946-1958: A Guide</i>. Helen F. Conover<i>Official Publications of British East Africa. Part I. The East Africa High Commission and Other Regional Documents</i>. Helen F. Conover<i>Official Publications of British East Africa. Part II. Tanganyika</i>. Audrey A. Walker<i>Official Publications

Into the Disarmament Decade: A Semi-Personal Memoir

In April, 1952, I traveled to Lambarene, then in French Equatorial Africa, to try to enlist the leadership of Albert Schweitzer for the cause of world peace. I was disappointed to find him basically unconcerned about world politics, skeptical of the United Nations, indifferent to disarmament, and unwilling even to lend his name to peace efforts. A decade later, in June, 1962, I saw Schweitzer for the last time. He was then a world leader in nuclear disarmament, and my task this time, also unsuccessful, was to discourage his indiscriminate endorsements of some peace efforts which I believed misguided.

Trachysphaera fructigena . [Distribution map

Abstract A new distribution map is provided for Trachysphaera fructigena Tabor &amp; Bunting. Hosts: Cacao (Theobroma cacao), Banana (Musa spp.), Coffee (Coffea spp.), etc. Information is given on the geographical distribution in AFRICA, Cameroon, Congo, French Equatorial Africa, French West Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Malagasy Republic, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Spanish Guinea.

La genèse du recrutement de 1918 en Afrique noire française

In 1918, France requested of her African territories their greatest recruiting effort since the beginning of the war : 47.000 men from French West Africa and about ten thousand from French Equatorial Africa. Actually, the decision taken by Clemenceau, on December 17th 1917, concerned all the French colonies and aimed at finding a solution to the desperate lack of manpower facing France at the end of 1917. It materialized, upon the advice of General Mangin, inspite of the meagre credit done by High Command to the military value of African troops and inspite of the promise made by the former Cabinet to Governor General Van Vollenhoven. But Clemenceau was determined to break down the old animosity of colonial circles, in French West Africa as well as in Algeria, against the recruiting of native troops. And yet it was Clemenceau's policy, decided on January 14th 1918, to lay the responsibility of this new levy upon the African deputy, Blaise Diagne, which was the cause of the most active opposition : protests from upper commercial quarters, the résignation of Van Vollenhoven and even criticism from Mangin. The " Diagne Mission " and the several decrees of January 14th, allowing financial, juridical and social compensations to the people, apparently constituted gestures of good will too compromising for the future not to extend to Africa the debate on military service and the native status opened in Algeria in 1908. These efforts apparently raised a pledge to the claims of the " Young Senegalese " making up the folio wers of Blaise Diagne and Galandou Diouf. Criticism rendered harmless by the spectacular enlisting, the first " opportunity for assimilation " thus presented itself.

Rigidoporus lignosus . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Rigidoporus lignosus . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: On Hevea and over 40 other tropical genera icluding cacao, coconut, coffee, tea and bamboo. DISEASE: White root rot. Common on rubber where it destroys the tap root so that diseased trees are easily blown over. The foliage turns yellow and this is accompanied by die-back in Asia, but these symptoms are absent in West Africa (45, 1166). Also parasitic on other perennial crops. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Fernando Po I., 'French Equatorial Africa', Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda), Asia (Brunei, Burma, Ceylon, India, Indo- China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand); Australasia &amp; Oceania (New Guinea, New Hebrides); North America (Mexico); Central America &amp; West Indies (Costa Rica, Dominica); South America (Argentina, Brazil, Guyana). (CMI Map 176, ed. 2, 1966). TRANSMISSION: Rigidoporus lignosus is a rhizomorphic root-infecting fungus with an ectotrophic growth habit. The rhizomorph requires a food base, generally the tree stump on which it originated, until it encounters other dead wood or living or moribund tree roots which it can invade. Epiphytic growth of rhizomorphs may extend 5-15 feet ahead of actual penetration of live rubber roots (Napper, 1938) and descend the full length of the tap root to a depth of 181 feet (45, 1161d). Air-borne spores may also infect tree stumps immediately after felling (45, 201) and thus provide foci for the spread of rhizomorphs, as was earlier postulated by Petch (1921). This source of infection, however, is regarded as less important than root-infection (46, 1089).

Phellinus noxius . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Phellinus noxius . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: On trees belonging to over 50 tropical genera; especially Hevea, Elaeis and Thea . DISEASE: Brown root rot particularly of rubber, oil palm and tea. The roots of diseased trees are characteristically encrusted with a mass of sand, earth and stones intermingled with and held together by the brown mycelium, which eventually turns black. A crust of mycelium may form on the trunk under certain conditions in New Guinea (44, 1483). The attacked wood is discoloured reddish-brown or brown mottled with white patches. In advanced stages of decay, the wood becomes light dry and friable and honey-combed, and a brown network of lines appears on the surface of the wood under the bark. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Cameroon, Congo, French Equatorial Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania); Asia (Ceylon, Formosa, India, Indonesia, Malaysia); Australasia &amp; Oceania (Australia, Fiji, Papua &amp; New Guinea, New Hebrides, Samoa); Central America &amp; Caribbean (Costa Rica, Cuba, Puerto Rico). (CMI Map 104, ed. 2, 1964) and Fidalgo (1968). TRANSMISSION: Infection of freshly exposed tree stumps is by air-borne spores. Carpophores may sporulate up to 6 weeks (42: 145). Healthy roots in contact with infected roots or dead wood are invaded, those of 6-yr-old rubber trees appearing more susceptible than 20-yr-old trees (33: 256). The pathogen may survive up to 4 yrs in buried roots 3 inches diam., depending on soil conditions (40: 427).

Politics and Government in Former French West and Equatorial Africa: A Critical Bibliography

Ten years ago Kenneth Robinson published ‘A Survey of the Background Material for the Study of Government in French Tropical Africa’, in The American Political Science Review (Washington), L, 1956, pp. 179–98. In the absence of published studies dealing directly with government and politics in French African colonies, his survey was necessarily limited largely to official publications and to studies of French colonial policy, legal and constitutional developments, and ethnography. At the same time Thomas Hodgkin's Nationalism in Colonial Africa (London, Muller, 1956), the first and perhaps the most successful attempt to analyse and compare postwar political and social developments, had to rely on a few sociological studies for relevant material on French colonies. At that time, Hodgkin's own articles in West Africa (London) and a few articles by Robinson were the only available pieces of published research on politics in this area.

The Probelem of Senegambia

The last few years have been notable in Africa for the many attempts which have been made to bring about economic integration, on the one hand through political regroupings, on the other by various kinds of economic associations between fully sovereign states. At present, the number of ‘political’ integrations is small. One of the most important recent examples, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, was broken up in 1963 after a life of ten years. The Federations in former French West and Equatorial Africa did not survive the independence of their constituent territories. In fact, about the only examples of this kind of integration at present are Cameroun, Somalia, and EthiopiaEritrea.

L'Institut de Recherches Scientifiques au Congo, Brazzaville

After the last war the Office of Scientific and Technical Research Overseas (O.R.S.T.O.M.), an official French organisation in Paris, set up a network of polyvalent institutes and research centres in French-speaking Africa, in Madagascar, New Caledonia, Tahiti, and Guiana. At the same time it organised a number of centres for specialised training in tropical research to supply its overseas institutes with staff, and asked the university and the French technical services to pay their salaries. This was how the Institut d'études centrafricaines (I.E.C.) came to be set up in 1946, under the direction of Professor L. J. Trochain, its aim being to cover the whole of the former French Equatorial Africa.

New Library of Congress Bibliography of French Equatorial Africa and French Trust Territories

New Library of Congress Bibliography of French Equatorial Africa and French Trust Territories

The Emerging Countries of French AfricaThe Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa. Virginia Thompson , Richard Adloff

The Emerging Countries of French Africa<i>The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa</i>. Virginia Thompson , Richard Adloff

The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa

The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa

The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa. By Virginia Thompson and Earl Adloff. (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1960. Pp. xii, 595. $8.75.)

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The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa

The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa