“There’s a scattered memory of their sacrifice all over Europe.” The Allied powers relied on colonial troops to defeat the Axis, but their contributions are not often recognized.
Tag: Colonization
French Magazine Sparks Outrage Over Racist Depiction of Black Lawmaker
Danièle Obono, a French-Gabonese lawmaker, was portrayed as an enslaved African in a fictional narrative that she described as a “political and racist attack.”
For French-Algerian Families, Virus Disrupts Cherished Summer Ritual
Holidays in Algeria are a cornerstone of the cross-cultural identity of many French people with roots there. This year, they are stuck at home, and the pain is acute: “It’s sacred for us to leave.”
Belgium’s King Sends Letter of Regret Over Colonial Past in Congo
The first acknowledgment by the royal family of the European country’s brutal actions in central Africa stopped short of an outright apology. It comes as Belgium begins to publicly reckon with the abuses.
George Floyd’s Killing Forces Wider Debate on France’s Slave-Trading Past
Rather than tear down statues, some argue that the past should not be obliterated, but remembered and explained.
West African Countries Take a Step Away From Colonial-Era Currency
A bloc of eight countries will rename their French-backed currency and France will scrap a contentious requirement for reserve deposits.
A New Assignment for the Sussexes: Royal Envoys to Africa?
The assignment could serve two purposes: to shore up the British Commonwealth, and to keep the royals out of the goldfish bowl of London’s royal palaces.
100 Years On, India Still Awaits Apology for Massacre in Amritsar
The British never apologized for the 1919 mass killing of Indians protesting colonial rule in the city of Amritsar, which was ordered by a British general.
U.N. Court Tells Britain to End Control of Colony Home to U.S. Air Base
The International Court of Justice said Britain acted unlawfully in 1965 when it detached a group of islands from Mauritius, at the time a British colony, to facilitate an American military lease.