 "Photo: N/A")
Last Monday, Dr. Pap Ndiaye visited Davidson to lecture about his findings on race relations in France. After teaching for several years in France, Ndiaye taught at the University of Virginia for one year, and then taught at the University of Pennsylvania for three years. He is currently teaching at the School for Advanced Studies in France, with the majority of his work focusing on the history of race relations.
His work concentrates on and questions the history of blacks in the U.S. and in France. Ndiaye is the author of several books, including “Nylon and Bombs: DuPont and the March of Modern America” (2007) and “The Black Condition: An Essay on a French Minority” (2008).
Ndiaye explained that many observers of race relations in France seem to have recently discovered blacks. The French do not collect statistics on racial minorities, claiming themselves to be colorblind.
For example, when filling out forms, there is no section to self-identify oneself as black, as would be possible for an African-American in the United States.
Ndiaye has recently stepped aside from teaching history to look more in depth in the issues presented for French blacks, the once almost nonexistent group in France. He mentioned that the black population in France remained small up until World War I (WWI), when there were only about 5,000 black citizens living in France, mostly in Paris. African American soldiers came to France in 1917 and when the war ended in 1918, many stayed.
Ndiaye explained that in addition to WWI, in the 1960s the arrival of African migrants and Senegal workers was encouraged by agreements signed by the French. Thus, by the mid 1970s, there were over half-million blacks living in France. At this point, the French closed their borders to non-European migrants. However, in the 1980s, women and children were allowed into the country, encouraging a continued significant increase in the black population in France.
Ndiaye then went on to talk about his conviction that there exists no strong black community in France. He interviewed one French black child who stated, “I like black Americans: they’re proud of who they are. I’d like to visit America, but they have their problems.” Ndiaye shared this sense on what kind of impression some French blacks may have of the United States’ African American community. “The experience of race is not the same for every black person,” he stated.
While the government in France might be “colorblind,” the French-Blacks still face discrimination. Many of them go to England, Canada and even the United States to find work.
After his initial research, Ndiaye wanted to do a study, one that the French government has never conducted. He fulfilled the first quantitative study on black citizens in France, with 13 groups of people consisting of 1,000 persons each. He learned that of those people, 581 of them declared themselves Black or “Mestizo,” a person of mixed racial ancestry.
Ndiaye explained some of his data. He asked the 581 self-identified blacks if they considered themselves a minority, since the concept of visible minorities is a common expression used to designate persons who aren’t considered white. However, 90.2 percent of those he questioned did not consider themselves a minority.
Ndiaye’s findings would suggest that 4% of the French population considers themselves to be black. Of these individuals, 75 percent declare French as their background and most of them have their citizenship in France. Nineteen percent of the population are what Ndiaye called “foreigners,” or non-naturalized immigrants; however, Ndiaye suspects that this number is most likely higher, as he felt that not everyone was honest, due to fear of being deported. Six percent of the population consider themselves of a double nationality.
Ndiaye reported that 20 percent of French black individuals have no education. A significant number of black French citizens have a low-paying job, estimated at about 45 percent, 35 percent for those of mixed race. Ndiaye explained that even those who have university degrees aren’t finding jobs, and many of them resort to security jobs or leaving the country, mostly due to discrimination.
When Ndiaye asked the 581 individuals he was working with if they’ve faced discrimination, 56 percent of them reported that they have, whereas 19 percent reported that they sometimes did. Discrimination in public spaces has the highest rating occurrence, with 62 percent reporting, followed by the workplace, with 42 percent.
When a student asked Ndiaye if the problem of discrimination is more vivid in the United States or France he replied, “In the 1920s African American soldiers married French women without problems, which would not have happened here (in the southern States).”
Interracial couples are a common thing in France, but Ndiaye does not consider that to be the case in the United States. Ndiaye, who is married to a white woman, told his audience that when he would walk around with his wife in the United States he would get looks from those passing by, something that does not happen in France.
Ndiaye is determined for French blacks to be recognized officially, rather than remaining an invisible population. “French blacks want to be visible and invisible,” he stated.
Be the first to comment on this article!