Meet the First Black Fighter Pilot...

[Hauksbee 103]

http://www.ozy.com/flashback/the-first-black-fighter-pilot/67003

[JimAttrill 24]

A very interesting story of an unknown man. 

[jeanba 1,920]

A very interesting story of an unknown man. 

Bullard is fairly well known and somewhat respected as a figure of that time.Most people describing  the artist parisian life of that time  (Hemingway, Montparnasse ...) talk about him.

The french said they were less rascist than the US because they accepted black american (especially Jazz musicians) without segreggation.

They only forgot to talk about all the african they exploited and sent to death at the same time ...

Edited February 4, 2016 by jeanba

[Hauksbee 103]

The french said they were less rascist than the US because they accepted black american (especially Jazz musicians) without segreggation.

On the whole, I'd say this is true despite whatever may have been going on out in the colonies.

[jeanba 1,920]

On the whole, I'd say this is true despite whatever may have been going on out in the colonies.

Despite being a heavily arrogant chauvinistic french, I am not very proud of my ancester's attitude toward the black.

Is it worse or better than what happened in the US ? it is up to everyone to decide, anyway, it's bad

But it must be said that at the same time (late 10's 20's 30's), french black were better accepted than afro-amricans" in the US

Edited February 5, 2016 by jeanba

[Dutch_P47M 9]

Do not forget in most European countries the poor labourman in factories and on the country were in the same position. Same discrimination, children working in factories, same oppression and no rights. As my country we speak about that time as: the Factory owner keeps them poor, while the church keep them stupid!     World War1 did in fact bring also some good things like Women's rights and the organisation of the labour man as a force of power.  Also lot of countries were afraid on what was going on in Russia, so they had to do something.  

Edited February 11, 2016 by Dutch_P47M

[Hauksbee 103]

 Also lot of countries were afraid on what was going on in Russia, so they had to do something.  

I agree. The success of the Russian revolution shocked a lot of the western capitalists into cleaning up their act.

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

The French public at the beginning of the Century rather considered their own Black Africans as hopeless savages and scarified cannibals (and muslim/animist oddities), their own Black Carribeans as lazy skivers and drinkers, but the Black Americans in France enjoyed a much better reputation as civilized, honest, sober, sturdy, hard-working and deeply christian people, with high musical sense which helped in the artistic circles. The French Air Force was not prohibited to coloured people with French citizenship, and the highest-scoring Black ace fighter pilot ever, Roger Sauvage, was born from a Martinican father (he had to start as a NCO, but no discrimination here, the largest part by large of the French pilots in 1940 were NCOs).

[jeanba 1,920]

It must be commented that the same kind of stereotypes applied to french metropolitan, with deadly consequences :

In 1914, the offensive on Metz was a terrible defeat for the French, and scapegoats had to be found.

"Of course", the french high command was very good and did a great job as they have always done since Napoleon (especially in 1870), and they would always do in the future (especially in 1940) 

One regiment involved was from Lorraine with lot of solidiers who had fled occupied Lorraine, so they could not be responsible for the defeat.

The other regiment was from southern France, and southern french are very well known for their lazyness (southern indolence) so they they were held responsible and several soldiers from those regiments were shot.

 

But to answer Dutch_P47_M, there was a difference between the metropolitan and the colonized people, is that through education they had a real hope of accessing some better positions such as teachers.

Basically a small part of "giifted" young boys (and girls to a lesser extent) could access a better social rank through situation.

For the colonized people, this was nearly impossible with very very few exceptions.

I am talking about France because I know the situation but it may be the same in other European countries.

Edited February 12, 2016 by jeanba

[Capitaine Vengeur 263]

The other regiment was from southern France, and southern french are very well known for their lazyness (southern indolence) so they they were held responsible and several soldiers from those regiments were shot.

Rather than lazy, Southwestern France was then known to be a bastion of die-hard Radicals, a Socialist bubble of defiance and disobediance (see the mutiny of 17e R.I. of Béziers in 1907). The Provencals were renowned Radical voters too. And so the High Command felt that this Southern mob had to be brutally subdued and taught who the master is as soon as the first weeks. God bless the state of war and the martial law...

[Hauksbee 103]

But it must be said that at the same time (late 10's 20's 30's), french black were better accepted than afro-amricans" in the US

True. And I have read that as time went on, more and more American blacks, encouraged by reports of this acceptance, started pouring in to France whereupon the attitude toward them hardened.

[jeanba 1,920]

True. And I have read that as time went on, more and more American blacks, encouraged by reports of this acceptance, started pouring in to France whereupon the attitude toward them hardened.

The first Afro-Americans in France stayed in milieus where they were known, recognized and appreciated.

As their number increased the contact with other parts of the population who did not recognized them for what they were but just as black (and racism exists everywhere) and sometimes as "African" more than "american" (inferior beings), incidents inevitably increased.

Rather than lazy, Southwestern France was then known to be a bastion of die-hard Radicals, a Socialist bubble of defiance and disobediance (see the mutiny of 17e R.I. of Béziers in 1907). The Provencals were renowned Radical voters too. And so the High Command felt that this Southern mob had to be brutally subdued and taught who the master is as soon as the first weeks. God bless the state of war and the martial law...

The "Mediterranean indolence" is a term which was very common in military report.

For instance, you can read it in an evaluation of GAO 548 ground crew in 1938-39 

I read it in Avion 208 :

http://www.avions-bateaux.com/produit/avions/2505

[Dutch_P47M 9]

 

But to answer Dutch_P47_M, there was a difference between the metropolitan and the colonized people, is that through education they had a real hope of accessing some better positions such as teachers.

Basically a small part of "giifted" young boys (and girls to a lesser extent) could access a better social rank through situation.

For the colonized people, this was nearly impossible with very very few exceptions.

I am talking about France because I know the situation but it may be the same in other European countries.

 

No because like I did wrote down the  "Factory owner keeps them poor, while the church keep them stupid"  There was a strict border between the upper and lower class, just like the color of your skin, this was a mark in the way you did talk, your cloths, your manners and people did know each others. Also in the schools you did have the school for poor people and for the upper class. 

 

As a sample my grandgrandfather and that is around WW1, did buy a house from a Factory owner, from a factory he also did worked. As a young married boy, doing trading and speculations, he also did need a stable income to keep everything going on at home.  

He wanted to pay the big amount in cash, but the solicitor did inform the factory owner, that an employe was doing a transaction on his house. As a result he did get fired and the trading of this house was cancelled. Guess the only way to get something better than a factory slave was to go into trading with all the risks or as a child by an adoption from a welty family that wanted a child.