De la négro-renaissance à la négritude : incidences ou coi͏̈ncidences ?
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Bordeaux 3Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
Negro-renaissance (an afro-american literary movement), according to numerous specialists, has a manifest incidence upon negritude. In view of the historical reality, it would be proper to reconsider this thesis. Indeed, it has appeared to us that negritude has a remote origin which dates back to wilmot e. Blyden in liberia, in the 19th century. He talked about "african personality". This long history has been evaded: only the thesis of the influence of negro-renaissance has been considered. Yet this american movement didn't pretend to unite all the bllacks through a politicocultural concept. Furthermore, it didn't take into account the fundamental problems of its community. Only some leaders, like b. W. W. E. B. Du bois, and marcus garvey, met their "people" s aspirations. This new conscience, born under the influence of these three men, had an incidence upon parisian black racial conscience, unsuspected before. This external contribution, combined with the french local realities, kept alive a heated debate between black assimilationists and radicals. Haitian indigenisme on the one hand, and negritude (which later pooved to be a pseudo-ideology) on the other hand, started off from this specifically parisian context. In any case, it's proper to acknowledge that the thesis of the ovious influence of nr on negritude is not based on historically observable facts, but on testimonies and presuppositions, which justify even more the mythical aspect of this politico-cultural doctrine.
Abstract FR:
La negro-renaissance (un mouvement litteraire afro-americain), pour de nombreux specialistes, a une incidence manifeste sur la negritude. Il conviendrait, au vu de la realite historique, de reconsiderer cette these. En effet, il nous est apparu que la negritude a une origine lointaine qui remonte a wilmot e. Blyden au liberia, au xixeme siecle. Il parlait d'"african personality". L'on a elude cette longue histoire pour ne considerer que la these de l'influence de la negro-renaissance. Ce mouvement americain ne pretendait pas pourtant unir tous les noirs au travers d'un concept politico-culturel. Par ailleurs, il faisait fi des problemes fondamentaux de sa communaute. Seuls des leaders comme booker washington, w. E. B. Du bois, et marcus garvey qui, en depit de leurs divergences repondirent aux aspirations de leur "peuple". Cette conscience nouvelle qui naitra sous l'influence de ces trois hommes aura une incidence jusque la insoupconnee sur la conscience raciale noire parisienne. Cet apport exterieur allie aux realites locales francaises alimenteront un debat passionne entre assimilationnistes et radicaux noirs. C'est de ce contexte specifiquement parisien que partira l'indigenisme haitien d'une part et naitra la negritude qui se presentera plus tard comme une pseudo-ideologie d'autre part. Il convient en tout etat de cause de reconnaitre que la these de l'influence claire et nette de la negro-renaissance sur la negritude ne repose pas sur des faits historiquement observables, mais sur des temoignages et des presupposes qui justifient encore plus l'aspect mythifiant de cette doctrine culturo-politique.