Modibo Keita
1915 – 1977 Malian first president of Mali, pan-Africanist
Mali's first president, a socialist and pan-Africanist who briefly led the short-lived Mali Federation with Senegal and pulled Mali away from the French franc.
- Religion
- Muslim
- Affiliations
- Union Soudanaise-RDA, Mali Federation
Modibo Keita, a teacher and RDA politician, led French Sudan into the brief Mali Federation with Senegal in 1959; when it broke apart in 1960 he declared the independent Republic of Mali. He pursued a socialist, non-aligned, pan-African course, took Mali out of the CFA franc zone in 1962 to create a national currency, and built close ties with the Eastern bloc. Economic strain and the failure of the currency experiment eroded his support, and he was overthrown in a 1968 military coup by Moussa Traore. He was held in detention until his death in 1977, which some supporters attributed to mistreatment.
Connections
- ally of Kwame Nkrumah — Partner in the Ghana-Guinea-Mali union of radical states.
- ally of Sekou Toure — Fellow radical West African socialist and pan-Africanist.
In the timeline
- 1960 Independence of Mali first president at independence