# Léopold Sédar Senghor

_First president of Senegal, poet, and cultural theorist (1906–2001)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/leopold-sedar-senghor
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese politician, cultural theorist and poet who served as the first president of Senegal from 1960 to 1980.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 9 October 1906 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Joal-Fadiouth ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P19))
- **Died:** 20 December 2001 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P570))
- **Place of death:** Verson ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Senegal; France ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; poet; writer; French resistance fighter; philosopher; teacher ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P106))
- **Political party:** French Section of the Workers' International; Socialist Party of Senegal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P102))
- **Education:** Faculty of Arts of Paris; École Normale Supérieure; Lycée Louis-le-Grand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P69))
- **Spouse:** Colette Hubert; Ginette Éboué ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P26))
- **Positions held:** Member of the Académie française (2 June 1983 – 20 December 2001); chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity (28 April 1980 – 1 July 1980); Chairperson of ECOWAS (30 September 1979 – 31 December 1980); Minister of the Armed Forces of Senegal (25 June 1968 – 14 September 1970); President of Senegal (6 September 1960 – 31 December 1980); member of the French National Assembly (9 December 1958 – 15 July 1959); member of the French National Assembly (2 January 1956 – 8 December 1958); member of the French National Assembly (17 June 1951 – 1 December 1955); Representative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (13 August 1949 – 14 September 1959); member of the French National Assembly (10 November 1946 – 4 July 1951); member of the French National Assembly (2 June 1946 – 27 November 1946); member of the French National Assembly (21 October 1945 – 10 June 1946); senator of the Community ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P39))
- **Awards:** 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 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545#P166))

## Questions

**When was Léopold Sédar Senghor born?**  
Léopold Sédar Senghor was born on 9 October 1906 in Joal-Fadiouth.

**What positions has Léopold Sédar Senghor held?**  
Positions held by Léopold Sédar Senghor include: Member of the Académie française (1983–2001); chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity (1980–1980); Chairperson of ECOWAS (1979–1980); Minister of the Armed Forces of Senegal (1968–1970); President of Senegal (1960–1980).

**Where did Léopold Sédar Senghor study?**  
Léopold Sédar Senghor was educated at Faculty of Arts of Paris, École Normale Supérieure, Lycée Louis-le-Grand.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Léopold Sédar Senghor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9opold_S%C3%A9dar_Senghor) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q154545](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154545) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Léopold Sédar Senghor.jpg by Bundesarchiv_B_145_Bild-F011981-0003,_Frankfurt-Main,_Staatspräsident_von_Senegal.jpg : Steiner, Egon derivative work: RoyFocker 12 ( talk ) (CC BY-SA 3.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%C3%A9opold_S%C3%A9dar_Senghor.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Léopold Sédar Senghor, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Léopold Sédar Senghor.jpg — Bundesarchiv_B_145_Bild-F011981-0003,_Frankfurt-Main,_Staatspräsident_von_Senegal.jpg : Steiner, Egon derivative work: RoyFocker 12 ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0.

## Cite this page

"Léopold Sédar Senghor". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/leopold-sedar-senghor. Retrieved 7 November 2026.