Decolonization of French West and Equatorial Africa (1944–1960)

1. Brazzaville Conference sets postwar reform agenda

   Jan 30, 1944Labels: Brazzaville Conference, Free French

   • Brazzaville Conf

2. Forced labor abolished by Houphouët-Boigny law

   Apr 11, 1946Labels: Houphou t-Boigny, French overseas

   • Beck History
   • MJP Digith

3. Lamine Guèye Law expands French citizenship status

   May 7, 1946Labels: Lamine Gu, French citizenship

   • MJP Digith
   • Beck History

4. RDA founded at the Bamako Congress

   Oct 18, 1946Labels: RDA, Bamako Congress

   • BlackPast
   • RDA EN

5. French Fourth Republic creates the French Union

   Oct 27, 1946Labels: French Union, Fourth Republic

   • lys e

6. Loi-cadre Defferre shifts powers to elected governments

   Jun 23, 1956Labels: Loi-cadre Defferre, French government

   • Loi cadre
   • MJP Digith

7. First universal-suffrage territorial elections under Loi-cadre

   Mar 31, 1957Labels: Territorial elections, Loi-cadre

   • French Sudan 1957
   • Loi cadre

8. French constitutional referendum offers choice of independence

   Sep 28, 1958Labels: 1958 Referendum, French Community

   • French Community
   • Moyen Congo 1958

9. Guinea votes “No” and becomes independent

   Oct 2, 1958Labels: Guinea, Ahmed S

   • French Community
   • Independence Dates

10. Fifth Republic constitution takes effect; French Community formalized

    Oct 4, 1958Labels: Fifth Republic, French Community

    • French Community

11. Several African territories proclaimed autonomous republics

    Nov 28, 1958Labels: Autonomous republics, Middle Congo

    • French Community
    • Moyen Congo 1958

12. Cameroon becomes independent from France

    Jan 1, 1960Labels: Cameroon, Independence 1960

    • Independence Dates

13. Senegal and the Mali Federation gain independence

    Apr 4, 1960Labels: Mali Federation, Senegal

    • Independence Dates

14. “Year of Africa”: wave of former French territories become sovereign

    Aug 1, 1960Labels: Year of, French West

    • Independence Dates