Farida Augustine (Laidlaw Scholar), BA French & Politics

Identifying West Africans in the French Resistance

West African colonial subjects of the French Empire played a vital role in the French
Internal Resistance (1940-1945). However, their contributions have been largely
overlooked in historical narratives surrounding the Second World War. The research I
conducted over the summer alongside Dr Nina Wardleworth aims to tackle this omission, by identifying and telling the stories of West Africans who fought and played significant roles within the French Internal Resistance. This presentation will give some background
of The French resistance and will cover my experience conducting research as an Undergraduate. I will also delve into the personal stories behind some of the individuals I was able to identify.