“Black Americans,” a source of pride in Dakar

The inhabitants of Dakar seem to derive a great sense of pride in the success of prominent African-Americans, whom they call “Black Americans.” I discussed Barack Obama’s visit to Senegal in 2013 with Alioune, and with others, who all agreed: for those who follow politics, for those who don’t, Barack Obama is a great man, because of his racial identity. Alioune supported former president Wade, who lost a controversial reelection bid in 2012, because he saw Wade as standing up to France, and to Western pressures. Yet there is a palpable sense of pride in Alioune’s voice when he says, “I don’t care about politics but I was in the crowd to see Barack Obama.”

Inside the African Renaissance Monument, a painting links
the dreams of Martin Luther King, Jr, and of President Obama

Fatou proudly poses in front of President Obama

Inside the Monument of the African Renaissance, a giant (and controversial, given the project’s cost) statue meant to inspire pride in the accomplishments of the African peoples, there is an art exhibit. A triptych features Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, facing one another across time. The Ministry of Education headquarters is named the “Martin Luther King, Jr. Ministry of Education.”

A stone's throw away from the Ministry of National Education,
whose HQ is named for MLK, his face dominates the local street art

A seemingly abandoned or at least run down kindergarten site,
named after "Lady Oprah Winfrey"

Likewise, Oprah Winfrey’s name can be seen in various places around town, and her biography is apparently well-known. I attended an event for young Senegalese entrepreneurs in the tech sector, which ended on a quiz to guess successful entrepreneurs based on one line of their bio. When the announcer read “She was fired from her job as a Baltimore reporter,” the entire room immediately shouted “Oprah Winfrey,” and cheered wildly when her picture came on the screen (she received a louder ovation than even Steve Jobs).

The cafe that I usually use to upload my articles, the Caesars,proudly
offers "Kentucky" style chicken, and burgers that are "So good!!!"
I come here because it has the fastest Wi-Fi, not for its fare, which Fatou loves

There is no comparable sense of pride to be found expressed for prominent French citizens of African descent. It seems today that America is the destination that makes the Senegalese people dream: Alioune reminisces about the good old days when his wife worked in a hair salon near Detroit, and he and his family “only ate American products she shipped back.” Senegalese taxi drivers get excited when I say I’m from America, and when I write with my American flag-themed pen in the café I frequent when uploading articles, the waitress looks at it approvingly. And yet Senegal remains strongly influenced the French way of life, but entertains a complex love-hate or rather love-acceptance-resentment relationship with France, something I will address in a later post.

Even in supermarkets, U.S.-themed products abound, in
sometimes unexpected ways -- Chipburger, anyone?