Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté

**Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté** (27 April 1902 – 1942) be Malian teacher, journalist den political activist. He be one of de first people wey pioneer African nationalism den among de first Communists for Africa.

## Early life, education den migration
Dem born Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté insyd Ségou insyd French Soudan. Accord to wetin French intelligence talk, dem regard Kouyaté as de most influential personality insyd de West African migrant community for France. Kouyaté too be among de first generation of Western-educated Africans for French Soudan. Ein people be Bambara ethnic group wey dey Mali. E start ein education for one primary school for Bamako, wey be de capital of Mali. Kouyaté go France after dem award am scholarship make e go continue ein studies for de École Normale for Aix-en-Provence.

## Creation of de Ligue de Defense de la Race Nègre
Insyd 1926, Kouyaté plus Lamine Senghor, wey be Senegalese nationalist den World War I veteran, form de *Ligue de Défense de la Race Nègre* (League for de Defense of de Negro Race, or LDRN). Dis league be one of de most important pan-African political movements wey come out from interwar Paris. One main feature of de LDRN be say e dey demand full citizenship for all colonial subjects, den e get ein funding from de French Communist Party. After Senghor die one year after dem form de league, Kouyaté take over as leader. As Secretary General, Kouyaté build program wey dey call for independence of African colonies den for establishment of socialism for Africa. Under ein leadership, de league support Garveyism den de United States National Association for de Advancement of Colored People. When Kouyaté meet W.E.B. Du Bois, wey be popular African American leader, on April 29, 1929, e talk say de aim of de league be “de political, economic, moral, den intellectual emancipation of de whole Negro race. E be matter of winning back, by all honorable means, de national independence of de Negro peoples wey dey insyd de colonial territories of France, England, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal… den to set up great Negro state for Black Africa.” So insyd 1927 den 1928, *La Race Nègre*, wey be de newspaper for de league, publish articles about de culture of blacks for United States, de cultural achievements of Africans from history, plus eyewitness stories of de abuse wey colonial administrators commit. French colonial authorities see LDRN as dangerous den inciting, so dem ban *La Race Nègre* for de colonies. After de Colonial Ministry request background info about Kouyaté, French authorities begin watch am well-well, and dem include ein matter for dem monthly propaganda reports from French West Africa.

## German travels
After he attend one conference for Frankfurt for end of July 1929, Kouyaté go Berlin, where ein link plus Wilhelm Münzenberg — wey be German Communist political activist den publisher — make am fit enter de African community wey dey dema. For there, he dey present for de first meeting of *Liga zur Verteidigung der Negerrasse*, wey formally be one section under de Paris association den get strong connection plus Münzenberg ein *Liga gegen Imperialismus*. Dis *Liga* be important organisation for de Black German community till e collapse as Nazism rise, den dem finally dissolve am for 1935.

## A new organisation
Insyd 1931, as de League for de Defense of de Negro Race get new leader, e split. Dis split bring out new group wey dem call *Union des Travailleurs Nègres* (Union of de Negro Workers), wey include both communists den former communists. From dis group, new journal come out wey dem name *Le Cri des Nègres* (Cry of de Negroes). Dis magazine focus on how Black people dey suffer around de world. One article from de Guadeloupian communist Stephane Rosso describe de Scottsboro rape trial for United States plus how Africans dey die during de Congo-Ocean railroad construction. De article quick reach Dakar for Senegal.

## Banishment by de French Communist Party
Insyd October 1933, dem sack Kouyaté from both de French Communist Party den de *Union des Travailleurs Nègres*. Dem accuse am say he dey link plus people wey be enemy to de revolutionary trade union movement, den say he no respond to call to explain ein actions. As result, dem put ein name plus ein picture inside de Communist Party ein blacklist, explain say dem "push am comot for de party for being anti-communist, not correct in conduct, den get scattered behaviour."

Insyd 1935, Kouyaté write one letter go give de Ethiopian leader, Haile Selassie, wey he pledge say he go do everything he fit, even support dem plus materials, to defend de country against de Italian invasion. As part of de movement wey dey fight against de war den how fascist Italy take occupy Ethiopia, Kouyaté help start de Ethiopian Defense Committee, den he write articles about de country inside *El Ouma*, de committee ein journal. On top dis, he organize protests against how Italy invade Ethiopia. For December 1935, he create monthly magazine wey he call *Africa*, wey he use continue ein campaign for de independence of de colonies den call for reforms wey go help Africans.

## Death
But how Tiemoko Garan Kouyaté die no clear. One story talk say Germans give am money make he use do propaganda, but he keep am for himself, den dat lead to ein death during de time Nazis occupy France.

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