Martinique is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. A part of the French West Indies (Antilles), Martinique is an overseas department and region and a single territorial collectivity of the French Republic. It is a part of the European Union as an outermost region within the special territories of members of the European Economic Area, and an associate member of the CARICOM, but is not part of the Schengen Area or the European Union Customs Union. The currency in use is the euro.
This is a page on the history of the island of Martinique.
Victor Schœlcher was a French abolitionist, writer, politician and journalist, best known for his leading role in the abolition of slavery in France in 1848, during the Second Republic.
Jean Marie Claude Alexandre Goujon was a politician of the French Revolution. He was a member of the National Convention from 1793 to 1795, was sentenced to death after the Revolt of 1 Prairial Year III and committed suicide before he could be executed.
Jean Bernabé was a writer and linguist.
François-Auguste Perrinon was an Afro-Caribbean French military officer, politician and abolitionist.
Black French people also known as French Black people or Afro-French (Afro-Français) are French people who are of African or Melanesian ancestry. It also includes people of mixed African/Melanesian and French ancestry.
Serge Letchimy is the President of the Executive Council of Martinique and former member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the island of Martinique's 3rd constituency since June 2007, and is a member of The Socialists and affiliated parliamentary group. Letchimy is a member of the Martinican Progressive Party (PPM), or Parti progressiste martiniquais. He was the successor of Aimé Césaire as Mayor of Fort de France from 2001 to 2010 and was the final President of the Regional Council of Martinique from 26 March 2010 until its replacement by the Assembly of Martinique in December 2015.
The Code noir was a decree passed by King Louis XIV of France in 1685 defining the conditions of slavery in the French colonial empire and served as the code for slavery conduct in the French colonies up until 1789 the year marking the beginning of the French Revolution. The decree restricted the activities of free people of color, mandated conversion to Catholicism for all enslaved people throughout the empire, defined the punishments meted out to them, and ordered the expulsion of all Jewish people from France's colonies.
Victor Petit-Frère Mazuline was a French politician from Martinique. He was elected as a people's representative in the first legislative elections held after the abolition of slavery in the colonies, the first black deputy from Martinique.
Cyrille Bissette (1795–1858) was a French abolitionist, politician and publisher. A free person of color from Martinique, his radical activities and publications galvanized the abolition movement in France and its colonies. He represented Martinique in the French National Assembly from 1848 to 1851.
Homère Clément was a medical doctor and radical-socialist politician, born in La Trinité, Martinique. He who served in the French National Assembly as deputy of Martinique from 1902-1906. He died in Paris, aged 71.
Charles Ignace Plichon was a French lawyer, businessman and politician. As a young man he was attracted to the social idealism of Saint-Simonianism. In 1841–42 he undertook a diplomatic and exploratory mission to the regency of Tunis, which was seeking French protection from the Turks In 1844–45 he travelled in Egypt to obtain information about the proposed Suez Canal, and returned via Palestine, Syria and Turkey. He represented Hazebrouck in the Nord department as a deputy in the last years of the July Monarchy. He avoided politics during the French Second Republic and the early years of the Second French Empire, then again represented Hazebrouck as a champion of Catholic and protectionist interests from 1857 until his death in 1888. He made a fortunate marriage through which he became President of the Compagnie des mines de Béthune. He was briefly Minister of Public Works in 1870.
Jérôme du Sarrat, sieur de La Pierrière was a French soldier who was interim governor of Martinique in 1646–47 when the governor, Jacques Dyel du Parquet, was the prisoner of Phillippe de Longvilliers de Poincy, governor of Saint Christophe.
The Passy family is a French political family which had prominent members in 19th Century politics and 20th Century linguistics. Notable members of the family are all descended from Louis François Passy. He was born in Eure in northern France, and members of the family remained within the area for over a century.
Slavery in France, and by extension, the French Empire, covers a wide range of disparate topics. Some of the most notable ones include:
Osman Duquesnay was a French politician and physician. He was deputy of Martinique from 1898 to 1902 and from 1906 to 1910.
Marius Hurard was a lawyer, journalist and politician from Martinique. He was the owner of major rum factories and served as deputy of Martinique from 1881 to 1893.
Joseph Lagrosillière was a French lawyer and politician. He was mayor of Sainte-Marie from 1910 to 1936 and deputy of Martinique from 1910 to 1924 and from 1932 to 1942. He was also president of the General Council of Martinique from 1935 to 1937 and from 1945 to 1946. Lagrosillière was the founder of the socialist movement in Martinique and one of the most important political figures on the island during the first half of the 20th century.
Camille Petit was a French politician from Saint-Esprit, Martinique.
