Chavannes, Charles de. Le Congo Français (Paris: Librairie Plon, 1937). -written by the former secretary of Brazza, also the honorary governor of the colonies. Account of Chavannes collaboration with Brazza in the Congo in the late 1800s [406 pages]
Delavignette, Robert. L’Afrique Noire Française et Son Destin (Paris: Gallimard, 1962). -reflections on the future of French Black Africa from the point of view of the former high commissioner for the French Cameroons [206 pages]
Delavignette, Robert. Freedom and Authority in French West Africa (London: Oxford University Press, 1950). -describes the administration of the French West African colonies from the point view of the “commandant du cercle”. Delavignette was formerly the high commissioner for the French Cameroons. [152 pages]
Du Chaillu, Paul B. Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1862). -French American explorer’s journal of his travel experiences in Equatorial Africa [531 pages]
Faidherbe, Général. Le Sénégal (Paris: Librairie Hachette, 1889). -story of the French presence in their oldest colony, Senegal. Faidherbe founded Dakar and was the governor in Senegal. He is also associated with the creation of the French Empire in Africa [501 pages]
Ferry, Edmond. La France en Afrique (Paris: Librairie Armand Colin, 1905). -review of French involvement in the Sudan, Tripoli, at the Nile, and its civilization efforts in Africa. Also includes travel notes from the French commander while he visited the French Sudan [301 pages]
Gide, André. Voyage au Congo (Paris: Librairie Gallimard, 1927). link to profile of this work.
Hanotaux, Gabriel. L’Affaire de Madagascar (Paris: Calmann Lévy, 1896). -story of the French involvement in Madagascar in the late 1800s, told from government documents and related papers and from the point of view of the French Foreign Minister [308 pages]
Hanotaux, Gabriel. Fachoda (Paris: Ernest Flammarion, 1909). -focuses on French expansion in Africa from 1890-1898 from the point of view of the French Foreign Minister and diplomat [356 Pages]
Hanotaux, Gabriel. Histoire des Colonies Françaises et de l’expansion de la France dans le Monde Tome 4 (Paris: Librairie Plon, 1931). Historical summary of French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa, and the coast of the Somalis. Written by the French nationalist and former Foreign Minister of France.
Hanotaux, Gabriel. Pour l’Empire Colonial Française (Paris: Société de l’Histoire Nationale, 1933). -comments on the past lessons of colonialism in history, the great accomplishments of the French Colonial Empire, and the future of the French colonies [357 pages]
Ingold, Général. L’Epopée Leclerc au Sahara 1940-1943 (Paris: Berger-Levrault, 1945). -autobiography of General Leclerc who marched from the Chad to Tripoli in order to join forces with the British army. Leclerc also rallied the Cameroons and fought in Ethiopia, Libya, and made a tremendous contribution to the battles in Africa in the early 1940s [264 pages]
Larminat, Edgard de. Chroniques Irrévérencieuses (Paris: Librairie Plon, 1962). -reflections on the life of this French general who was involved in the August 1940 constitution of a free French Africa [406 pages]
Lenfant, Eugène Armand. La Découverte des Grandes Sources du Centre de l’Afrique (Paris: Librairie Hatchette, 1909). -discussion of: the opportunities and value of Africa, the African people, the European influence in Africa, and finally, a comparison of the Belgian and French Congos [285 pages]
Leroy-Beaulieu. De la Colonisation chez les Peuples Modernes, Vol. 1 (Paris: Guillamin, 1902). -opinions of the French on colonisation. Focuses on the nationalist aspect of a colonial empire, less dependent on large companies, in order to provoke more efficiency in the colonies [538 pages]
Londres, Albert. Translated by Sylvia Stewart. A Very Naked People (New York: Horace Liveright, 1929). -travel journal of a Frenchman’s journey to Africa [267 pages]
Mangin, Charles. “Lettres de la Mission Marchand” La Revue des Deux Mondes (Septembre 1931) 241-283. -letters from the Lieutenant-Governor Mangin as he prepared for the Marchand Mission that would march across Africa from the Congo to the Nile. The letters give insight into the personality of the leader of the mission, Marchand, and into the totality of the mission [42 pages]
Mangin, Général. Lettres du Sudan (Paris: Editions des Portiques, 1930). -letters from the French general in Africa to his friends and family from 1887-1894 [253 pages]
Mangin, Lieutenant-Colonel. La Force Noire (Paris: Librairie Hachette, 1910). -sections discussing the depopulation of France, the possibility of using African men in French armies, the Senegalese, and the organization of the blacks [355 pages]
Romero, Patricia W., ed. Women’s Voices on Africa: A Century of Travel Writings (New York: Marcus Wiener Publishing, 1992). -anothology of travel writings by 19th and 20th century European women, both writers and discovers of the “Dark Continent” [280 pages, with bib.]
Beslier, G. G. L’Apôtre du Congo: Mgr. Augouard (Paris: Editions de la Vraie France, 1932). -biography of the French missionary to the Congo, Monsiegneur Augouard [262 pages]
Brunschwig, Henri. L’Afrique Noire au Temps de l’Empire Français (Paris: Denoel, 1988). -essays on the subjects of colonisation, assimilation, resistance, and imperialism. Biographies of colonels between 1880-1914. General historical overview. [280 pages]
Brunschwig, Henri. Brazza Explorateur: L’Ogooué 1875-1879 (Paris: Mouton, 1966). -commentary on Brazza in Ogooué based on: correspondance of officers in Gabon from 1843 to 1886, documents on Brazza and the foundation of the French Congo, and texts related to the creation of the political entity known as French Equatorial Africa. [215 pages]
Brunschwig, Henri Mythes et Réalités de l’Impérialisme Colonial Français 1871-1914 (Paris: Librairie Armand Colin, 1960). -discussion of the aspects involved in French colonialism: commerce, private profits, politics, etc. [201 pages, with bib.]
Chadourne, Jacqueline M. André Gide et l’Afrique (Paris: A.G. Nizet, 1968). -evaluation of the role of Africa in the life and works of André Gide [213 pages, with bib.]
Cooke, James J. New French Imperialism 1880-1910: The Third Republic and Colonial Expansion (Hamden, Connecticut: Archon Books, 1973). -historical synopsis of the French colonial period between 1880-1910 [223 pages, with bib.]
Coquery-Vidrovitch, Catherine. Brazza et la Prise de Possession du Congo 1883-1885 (Paris: Mouton, 1969). -analysis of the second exploration of Brazza in the Congo from 1880-1882 and the treaties that were concluded with Makoko [502 pages, with bib.]
De Card, E. Rouard. Les Traités de Protectorat 1870-1895 (Paris: A. Durand, 1897). -summarizes treaties of the protectorates of France in Africa and the effects of these treaties [237 pages]
Deschamps, Hubert. Quinze Ans de Gabon: Les débuts de l’établissement français 1839-1853 (Paris: Société Française d’Histoire d’Outre-Mer, 1965). -history of the beginnings of the French presence in Gabon from 1839-1853 [96 pages]
Hargreaves, John D. West Africa: The Former French States (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1967). -summarizes the chief historical trends and influences that have contributed to West Africa’s present-day character, problems, and behavior [183 pages, with bib.]
Lamy, Jacques. Tornade (Paris: La Table Ronde, 1974). -novel focusing on a new realism, reflecting on the ‘real’ Africa, not the picture painted for tourists [135 pages]
Méniaud, Jacques. Les Pionniers du Soudan: Avant, Avec et Après Archinard 1879-1894, Tomes 1-2 (Paris: Société des Publications Modernes, 1931). -historical account of the Sudan between 1879 and 1884, written by the former Secretary General of Haut-Sénégal-Niger from 1906-1909 and the leader of the mission in English Nigeria in 1909 [Tome 1- 573 pages, Tome 2- 554 pages]
Michel, Marc. La Mission Marchand, 1895-1899 (Paris: Mouton, 1972). -discussion on the birth of the Congo-Nile mission, travel between Loango and Brazzaville to Bahr el Ghazal, and the failure of the mission. Marchand was a hero to the French for his exploration efforts [290 pages, with bib.]
Severin, Timothy. The African Adventure (New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1973). -historical synopsis of 400 years of exploration in the “Dark Continent” [288 pages]
West, Richard. Congo (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston: 1972). -historical synopsis of exploration in the Congo from the 1800s until its independence [304 pages, with bib.]
Books:
Amon d’Aby, F.J. La Côte d’Ivoire dans la Cité Africaine Paris, 1951.
Bruel, Georges. La France Equatoriale Africaine: le pays, les habitants, la colonisation, les pouvoirs publics. (Paris: Larose Éditeur, 1935)
Challaye, Félicien. Le Congo Français Paris, 1892.
Chambrun, General de. Brazza Paris, 1930.
Chevalier, Auguste. L’Afrique Centrale Française Paris, 1907.
Crisenoy, Maris de. Brazza Paris, 1938.
Cuvillier, Fleury. La Mise en Valeur du Congo Français Paris, 1904.
Cuvillier, Fleury. La Main d’Ouevres dans les Colonies Françaises Paris, 1907.
Deschamps, Hubert. «Que sais-je»:Histoire des explorations (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1969).
Decrose, J. Du Congo au Lac Tchad Paris, 1906.
Eboué, Félix. Les Peuples de l’Oubangui-Chari Paris, 1934.
Fage, John, ed. A Guide to Original Sources for Pre-colonial Western Africa Published in European Languages. (Madison: University of Wisconsin, African Studies Program, 1987).
Foureau, F. Mission Saharienne Foureau-Lamy: Congo par le Tchad Paris: L’Harmattan, 1902.
Gaud, Fernand. Les Mandja (Congo Français). (Bruxelles: Albert de Wit, 1911)
Gros, Jules. Nos Explorateurs en Afrique Paris: Librairie d’Education Nationale, 1890.
Maran, René. Brazza et la Fondation de l’A.E.F. Paris, 1941.
Michaud, Gabriel. Gide et l’Afrique Paris, 1961.
Mille, Pierre and Félicien Challaye. Les Deux Congo Paris, 1906.
Neuville, D. and C. Bréard. Les Voyages de Savorgnan de Brazza Paris, 1884.
Raponda-Walker, André. Notes d’Histoire du Gabon Paris, 1960.
Roberts, S.H. History of French Colonial Policy 2 vols. London, 1965.
Rouget, F. L’Expansion Coloniale au Congo Français Paris, 1961.
Sevin-Desplaces, Louis. “La Politique Franco-Africaine” La Nouvelle Revue 84 (Octobre 1893) 627-32.
Sicé, A. L’A.E.F. et le Cameroun au Service de la France Paris, 1946.
Thompson, Virginia and Richard Adloff The Emerging States of French Equatorial Africa London, 1960.
Toqué, Georges. Les Massacres du Congo Paris, 1907.
Vaucaire, Michel. Paul du Chaillu New York, 1930.
Witte, Jehan de. Les Deux Congo Paris, 1913.
Zieglé, H. Afrique Equatoriale Française Paris, 1952.
Collections:
This page was constructed to offer a comprehensive list of works to interested students and scholars. It is by no means definitive and will benefit greatly from your suggestions. If you have comments or suggestions, email me at matthews@titan.iwu.edu