Barthélemy Boganda

Prime Minister of Central African Republic autonomous territory

4 April 1910 Bobangui, Oubangui-Chari

29 March 1959(1959-03-29) (48) Boukpayanga, Central African Republic

8 December 1958 – 29 March 1959

1st Prime Minister of Central African Republic autonomous territory Barthélemy BogandaBoganda in 19581st Prime Minister of Central African Republic autonomous territoryIn office 8 December 1958 – 29 March 1959Succeeded by Abel Goumba Personal detailsBorn(1910-04-04 ) 4 April 1910 Bobangui, Oubangui-ChariDied29 March 1959(1959-03-29) (aged 48) Boukpayanga, Central African RepublicCause of deathAirplane explosionNationalityCentral AfricanPolitical partyMESANSpouse(s)Michelle Jourdain ​(m. 1950 )​Children3Ecclesiastical careerChurchRoman Catholic ChurchOrdained17 March 1938Laicized1950 Barthélemy Boganda (4 April 1910 – 29 March 1959) was the leading nationalist politician from what is now Central African Republic. Boganda was active prior to his country's independence, during the period when the area, part of French Equatorial Africa, was administered by France under the name of Oubangui-Chari. He served as the first Prime Minister of Central African Republic autonomous territory. Boganda was born into a family of subsistence farmers, and was adopted and educated by Roman Catholic Church missionaries. In 1938, he was ordained as the first Roman Catholic priest from Oubangui-Chari. During World War II, Boganda served in a number of missions and after was persuaded by the Bishop of Bangui to enter politics. In 1946, he became the first Oubanguian elected to the French National Assembly, where he maintained a political platform against racism and the colonial regime. He then returned to Oubangui-Chari to form a grassroots movement in opposition of French colonialism. The movement led to the 1949 foundation of the Movement for the Social Evolution of Black Africa (MESAN), which became popular among villagers and the working class. Boganda's reputation was slightly damaged when he was laicized from the priesthood after marrying Michelle Jourdain, a parliamentary secretary. Nonetheless, he continued to advocate for equal treatment and civil rights for blacks in the territory well into the 1950s. In 1958, after the French Fourth Republic began to consider granting independence to most of its African colonies, Boganda met with Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle to discuss terms for the independence of Oubangui-Chari. De Gaulle accepted Boganda's terms, and on 1 December, Boganda declared the establishment of Central African Republic. He became the autonomous territory's first Prime Minister and intended to serve as the first President of the independent CAR. He was killed in a mysterious plane crash on 29 March 1959, while en route to Bangui. Experts found a trace of explosives in the plane's wreckage, but revelation of this detail was withheld. Although those responsible for the crash were never identified, people have suspected the French secret service, and even Boganda's wife, of being involved. Slightly more than one year later, Boganda's dream was realized, when Central African Republic attained formal independence from France.