How was Senegal's approach to independence unique in French West Africa?

Senegal's approach to independence was unique as it initially sought autonomy within the French Community, not complete separation.

In the late 1950s, as the winds of decolonisation swept across Africa, French West Africa was not left untouched. However, Senegal's approach to independence was distinct from its neighbours. Unlike other colonies that demanded outright independence, Senegal initially sought to maintain a relationship with France through the French Community, a political entity created by the French Fourth Republic to replace the French colonial empire.

The French Community was a federation of states with France as the leading member, offering a degree of autonomy to its members while maintaining economic and political ties. Senegal's first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, was a key advocate of this approach. Senghor, a poet and philosopher, believed in the concept of 'Negritude', a literary and ideological movement that aimed to assert and to valorise what they believed to be distinctive African characteristics, culture and values. He saw the French Community as a way to preserve these values while benefiting from continued association with France.

In 1959, Senegal formed the Mali Federation with French Sudan (now Mali), another member of the French Community. The federation was intended to be a step towards a larger federation of French West African states. However, disagreements over the nature of the federation led to its collapse in 1960. Following this, Senegal declared full independence.

Senegal's approach to independence was therefore unique in its initial pursuit of autonomy within a French framework rather than outright independence. This approach was shaped by Senghor's belief in the value of continued association with France, a belief that was not shared by many other African leaders of the time. However, the failure of the Mali Federation demonstrated the difficulties of this approach and led Senegal to ultimately choose the path of full independence.