Aimé Césaire and the Making of Black Paris
in French Politics, Culture & Society
Author:
Tyler Stovall
Tyler Stovall
Search for other papers by Tyler Stovall in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Tyler Stovall in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
All currencies in US Dollar
This article considers how the life of Aimé Césaire constitutes a template for the black presence in Paris. It concentrates on three themes: Paris as a (conflicted) symbol of liberty; Paris as an artistic and intellectual center; and Paris as a global city. It shows how, as the life of Césaire exemplifies, the black communities of Paris have seen the French capital as both a site of diasporic encounters and as a beacon of liberty. Like Césaire, the black presence in Paris has both challenged and underscored traditions of French universalism.