French West Africa
Gabon would later become the seat of its own federation French Equatorial Africa (AEF), which was to border its western neighbor on the modern boundary between Niger and Chad.On 21 October 1945 six Africans were elected, the Four Communes citizens chose Lamine Guèye, Senegal/Mauritania Léopold Sédar Senghor, Ivory Coast/Upper Volta Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Dahomey/Togo Sourou-Migan Apithy, Soudan-Niger Fily Dabo Sissoko, and Guinea Yacine Diallo.In late 1946 under this new constitution, each territory was for the first time (excepting the Four Communes) able to elect local representatives, albeit on a limited franchise, to newly established General Councils.The leaders of the winning parties were appointed to the newly instituted positions of Vice-Presidents of the respective Governing Councils — French Colonial Governors remained as Presidents.Senegal and former French Sudan became the Mali Federation (1960–61), while Ivory Coast, Niger, Upper Volta and Dahomey subsequently formed the short-lived Sahel-Benin Union, later the Conseil de l'Entente.[citation needed] World War II, and the passing of the Loi Cadre (Overseas Reform Act of 1956), both radically restructured the administration of the colonies.[13] Between 1934 and 1937, the League of Nations Mandate territory of French Togoland was subsumed into Dahomey, and between its seizure from Germany in World War I and independence it was administered through the AOF.In 1904, both Mauritania and Niger were classed "Military Territories": ruled by the AOF in conjunction with officers of the French Colonial Forces.Despite this state of flux, and with the exception of the Senegalese Communes, the administrative structure of French rule at the lower levels remained constant, based upon the Cercle system.As well, the "Cercle Commander" made use of a large number of servants, employees, and African officers such as the "Gardes-de-cercle" police, any military units seconded to them by government authorities, and sub-administrators such as the Precepteur du marché trade inspectors, etc.It also gave French local authorities the right to requisition forced labour, usually limited to able-bodied men for a few weeks a year, but in practice having few restrictions.[citation needed] Regardless of source, chiefs were given the right to arm small numbers of guards and made responsible for the collection of taxes, the recruitment of forced labour, and the enforcement of "customary law".In general, Canton Chiefs served at the behest of their Cercle Commander and were left to see to their own affairs as long as calm was maintained and Administrative orders were carried out.It also included tropical forests in Ivory Coast and Guinea, the Fouta Djallon highlands, and the Aïr Mountains of modern Niger.The first issues printed specifically for the federation were the Eboue common design type and a definitive series depicting colonial soldiers, both in 1945.It was followed by a Stamp Day issue on 21 March 1959, which omitted the federation's name and was inscribed "CF" along with "Dakar-Abidjan" for use in Ivory Coast and Senegal.
French AfricaFrenchArabicLa MarseillaiseWorld War IIFrench coloniesSaint LouisSonghayMandinkaBambaraBerber languagesMande languagesRoman CatholicismAnimismNew ImperialismFifth RepublicFrench West African francSenegambia and NigerFrench SudanFrench GuineaFrench Upper VoltaFrench DahomeyFrench TogolandFrench SenegalFrench CommunityRepublic of DahomeyGuineaIvory CoastMali FederationMauritaniaRepublic of Upper VoltaItalian LibyafederationWest AfricaSenegalUpper VoltaBurkina FasoDahomeySaint-LouisMetropolitan FranceFrench Equatorial AfricaFour CommunesFrench Second RepublicBlaise DiagneGoréeRufisquescramble for AfricaFall of Francetwo battles of DakarFree French Forcesauthorities in West Africa declared allegiance to the Vichy regimeFrench GabonFree FranceBattle of GabonAllied landings in North AfricaFrench ConstitutionLamine GuèyeLéopold Sédar SenghorFélix Houphouët-BoignySourou-Migan ApithyFily Dabo SissokoYacine DialloFrench Unionconstitution of the Fourth RepublicLoi Cadreuniversal suffrageFrench Fifth Republic1958 French constitutional referendumFrench Indochina WarAlgeriaSahel-Benin UnionConseil de l'EntenteBritish possessionsFrench ArmyGermanyMandate territoryGorée IslandMinister of ColoniesLeague of NationsFrench Colonial Forcesforced into laborFrench National AssemblyList of Governors-General of French West AfricaIndigénatEugène BonnierDakar–Niger RailwayKayes, MaliCerclecantonsCivilizing missionRivières du SudToucouleur EmpireSultan of AgadezSultan of DamagaramDjermakoy of DossoLouis-Gustave BingerFamienkroSaharaSenegal RiverNiger RiverFouta DjallonAïr MountainsTimbuktuEnclaves of Forcados and BadjiboNigeriaFrench colonial territoriesoverprinteddefinitive seriescommemorativesFrench people in SenegalSenegalese people in FranceClarendon PressBrill PublishersWayback MachineShillington, KevinSuret-Canale, JeanStatesman's Year-BookInternet ArchiveFrench overseas empireFormer French coloniesNorth AfricaMoroccoTunisiaCôte d'IvoireArguin IslandTogoland