Césaire, Aimé

Césaire, Aimé (emā' sāzer') [key], 1913–, West Indian poet and essayist who writes in French. After studying in Paris he became concerned with the plight of blacks in what he considers a decadent Western society. With Léopold Senghor and Léon Damas he formulated the concept of négritude, which urged blacks to reject assimilation and cultivate consciousness of their own racial qualities and heritage. Césaire voiced this idea through poetry, collected in such volumes as Les armes miraculeuses (1946) and Ferrements (1960) and in the essay Discours sur le colonialisme (1950, tr. 1972). In addition to his literary output, which comprises poetry, plays, and historical essays on black leaders, Césaire has held a number of government positions in his native Martinique, including that of mayor of Fort-de-France.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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