Leopold Senghor

Leopold Senghor will forever be known and regarded as one of the most important African intellectuals of the 20th century for his strides in poetry, politics, cultural theorems, and his attributions to his homeland of Senegal. Not only serving as the first president of Senegal from 1960 to 1980, Senghor was the first African to sit as a member of the Académie française (French Academy). He was also the founder of the political party called the Senegalese Democratic Bloc to name just a few of his major accomplishments.

Throughout his successful and full career within Africa and France, Senghor has made quite a name for himself.(Wikipedia further explains.) He was made Grand-Croix of the Légion d'honneur, Grand-Croix of the l'Ordre national du Mérite, commander of arts and letters. He also received academic palms and the Grand-Croix of the l'Ordre du lion du Sénégal. His war exploits earned him the medal of Reconnaissance franco-alliée 1939-1945 and the combattant cross 1939-1945. He was named honorary doctor of thirty-seven universities.

What stuck with me most about his career was his passion for creative writing in poetry. Although it's in french here's a snippet of his work (luckily I have the translated version aswell.)

(French) - "Quand je serai mort, mes amis, couchez-moi sous Joal-l'Ombreuse.
Sur la colline au bord du Mamanguedy, près l'oreille du sanctuaire des Serpents.
Mais entre le Lion couchez-moi et l'aïeule Tening-Ndyae.
Quand je serai mort mes amis, couchez-moi sous Joal-la-Portugaise.
Des pierres du Fort vous ferez ma tombe, et les canons garderont le silence.
Deux lauriers roses-blanc et rose-embaumeront la Signare."

(English) - "When I'm dead, my friends, place me below Shadowy Joal,
On the hill, by the bank of the Mamanguedy, near the ear of Serpents' Sanctuary.
But place me between the Lion and ancestral Tening-Ndyae.
When I'm dead, my friends, place me beneath Portuguese Joal.
Of stones from the Fort build my tomb, and cannons will keep quiet.
Two laurier roses -- white and pink -- will perfume the Signare."