Activism and repression Kojo Tovalou Houénou

kojo tovalou houénou, in les continents 1 july 1924

after el garòn incident, houénou became, in words of historian patrick manning, devastating african critic of french colonial order. houénou continued support assimilation of africans french society, increasingly believed assimilation happen if africans had equal status. began argue if africans in french colonies not given equal citizenship , rights in french empire should end association , began self-rule.

to further cause, in 1924 founded organization called ligue universelle pour la défense de la race noire , using connections intellectuals of paris founded newspaper les continents rené maran, whom had studied @ bordeaux. visited united states same year attend meeting of marcus garvey s universal negro improvement association (unia) in new york city , tour number of other cities, including chicago , pittsburgh.

although shared many of aims of unia, houénou believed france largely unprejudiced society needed reform of colonial administration, not type of societal reform unia sought in united states. houénou said @ unia in 1924 france never tolerate prejudices of color. considers black , yellow children equal of white children. upon returning france though, involvement @ unia meeting cause suspicion french administration began considering him radical (and accused him of being communist). french colonial administration began surveillance of houénou s activities , treated les continents subversive publication. ligue universelle pour la défense de la race noire harassed surveillance of french government organization folded in late 1924. libel verdict in favor of blaise diagne against charges written rené maran in les continents bankrupted newspaper , publication ceased in december 1924.

after returning unia meeting in 1924, houénou forced leave france authorities , allowed reenter dahomey in 1925 if renounced philosophies of marcus garvey, did. @ same time, disbarred in 1925 french bar association. movement closely watched french authorities , arrested without cause on numerous occasions. in 1925, blamed uprising in dahomey , forcibly exiled french authoriteis colony.

on second tour of united states in 1925, houénou asked leave chicago restaurant because of race. when refused, waiter phoned police , resulted in forceful ejection of houénou restaurant. situation, houénou arrested , efforts file lawsuit against police officers, resolved intervention of french government. when leaving u.s. @ point, houénou accompanied zulme knowlton, french wife of harry n. knowlton, wealthy engineer. harry , zulme in middle of divorce @ time , in later alimony hearings, harry , lawyers claimed did not owe alimony because wife had traveled , entertained african. court rejected claim.