
Lepold Sedar Senghor was the first president of Senegal and a famous poet. He was born on October 9, 1906 in Joal, Senegal to Gnilane Ndieme Bakhou (mother) and Basile Diogenes Senghor (father). Senghor soon became went to France in 1928. He graduated from the University of Paris and became the designated professor form 1935 to 1945. He became the first president of Senagal from 1960 to 1980 after the Federal Assembly Unit of Senegal failed. He died on December 20, 2001 in Normandy, France. Lepold Senghor was the composer of many poems and helped create the idea of Negritude with Aime Cesaire and Leon Damas that showed what is believed to be African culture.