Even before the conference organized by Tous Créoles on the figure of Frantz Fanon and his humanism began, a statement from the Cercle Frantz Fanon expressed unequivocal condemnation. Far from being a mere warning, this text takes the form of a denunciation, drawing on an excerpt from *The Wretched of the Earth*:
«I say that no speech, no proclamation about culture will divert us from our fundamental tasks, which are the liberation of our national territory, a constant struggle against new forms of colonialism, and a steadfast refusal to let ourselves be dazzled by the elite.»
All Assimilationist Creoles
From this perspective, the Cercle Frantz Fanon views the Tous Créoles association as a contemporary expression of the ideology of assimilation and integration into France, which is still perceived as a colonial power. According to them, this initiative obscures the reality of the historical crimes committed in Martinique and contributes, intentionally or not, to the perpetuation of an unjust order. Far from challenging structures of domination, it reinforces them, whereas Fanon, on the contrary, embodies a thinker of subversion and the radical upheaval of power relations.
Thus, for the Cercle, reducing decolonization to a mere matter of agreement among the various ethnic groups in Martinican society amounts to betraying its deeper meaning. The goal is not to establish a dialogue between communities, but rather to put an end to relationships of exploitation and domination in all their forms. Consequently, they find it inappropriate that “Tous Créoles” could claim to pay homage to the figure of Fanon, whose humanism cannot be separated from the imperative to break with colonialism and capitalism. To adopt his name without embracing this radicalism would amount to watering down his ideas, to ignoring that his vision demands that Martinicans take control of their own destiny and freely manage their resources, free from the tutelage of the French state.
In the face of this scathing criticism, I decided, for the first time, to respond—not out of a desire to justify myself or out of indignation, but with a sincere desire to foster dialogue.
Points of Agreement
Fundamentally, we share many views with the Cercle Frantz Fanon. We fully recognize that Fanon is a major figure in decolonial and revolutionary thought, and that his work constitutes a radical critique of systems of oppression. His humanism is rooted in a rejection of all forms of domination and a tireless quest for universal dignity. He believed in humanity’s capacity to reinvent itself, to transcend the constraints imposed by history and strive toward what he called the “Total Man.”.
We also agree with his analysis of colonialism, not only as a system of economic and political exploitation, but also as a form of destructive psychological violence. As a psychiatrist, Fanon shed light on the devastating effects of oppression on the individual, asserting that the liberation of peoples also requires inner liberation. His work on the mechanisms of alienation remains essential to understanding today’s postcolonial struggles.
Above all, however, we take away one central aspect of his thought: his rejection of rigid identities. Fanon advocates a universal vision of human identity that transcends racial and cultural classifications. He opposes all forms of racism and the hierarchization of peoples, and although he was a revolutionary, he never denied the need for dialogue and active listening. He did not conceive of the future as a mere reversal of roles, but as a total reinvention of human relationships.
A state of mind.
It was in this spirit that we approached the organization of this conference. Far from downplaying the radical nature of Fanon’s ideas, we sought to highlight the depth of his thought and its burning relevance today. His influence extends far beyond his own era: from anti-racist movements in the United States—such as those that emerged during the protests in Ferguson and Baltimore—to identity-based struggles in post-apartheid Africa, and protest music, Fanon continues to inspire contemporary struggles.
We also know that his humanism differs from classical European humanism. Whereas the latter was often accompanied by justifications for colonialism and slavery, Fanon proposes a humanism that can arise only from overcoming oppressive structures. What he calls the “ethics of generosity” is not merely a moral ideal, but a revolutionary necessity. It is not a matter of universalizing a preexisting model, but rather of creating a new world, free from the old forms of domination.
At Tous Créoles, we have always sought to ground our actions in this spirit. Our conferences—particularly those organized as part of the “Truth and Reconciliation” series—have never shied away from difficult questions. We have laid bare systems of oppression, analyzed colonial legacies, and sought, in our own small way, to create spaces for dialogue that allow us to move forward without denying the wounds of the past.
Who knows the truth about Fanon?
We do not claim to hold the sole truth about Fanon. We have sought our own path, drawing inspiration from his thought without confining it to a single interpretation. While Fanon, in his commitment to the Algerian cause, called for transforming internalized violence into revolutionary force, he never ceased to deconstruct the colonial Manichaeism that reduced the colonized to an inferior being and the colonizer to an unshakable oppressor. He always sought to restore to colonized peoples their full humanity and their right to self-determination, while rejecting the confines of identity-based categorizations.
Even today, his legacy continues to challenge us. It is key to understanding today’s struggles and to reflecting on individual and collective emancipation. It invites us never to accept the established order as inevitable, but to imagine new horizons. And it is precisely in this spirit that we have organized this conference.
We do not claim to be Fanon’s sole legitimate heirs. But we believe that his message does not call for isolation or dogmatism. It demands that we reflect, debate, and build. Not to artificially reconcile antagonisms without resolving injustices, but to move forward, fully aware of the past.
While this approach may seem insufficient in the eyes of the Cercle Frantz Fanon, we accept it. But we assert that the debate surrounding his work cannot be monopolized by anyone. It belongs to all those who, even today, reject domination in all its forms and seek, each in their own way, to create a more just world.
»I say that no speech, no proclamation about culture will divert us from our fundamental tasks, which are the liberation of our national territory, a constant struggle against new forms of colonialism, and a stubborn refusal to let ourselves be dazzled by those at the top."
From this perspective, the Cercle Frantz Fanon views the Tous Créoles association as a contemporary expression of the ideology of assimilation and integration into France, which is still perceived as a colonial power. According to them, this initiative obscures the reality of the historical crimes committed in Martinique and contributes, intentionally or not, to the perpetuation of an unjust order. Far from challenging structures of domination, it reinforces them, whereas Fanon, on the contrary, embodies a thinker of subversion and the radical upheaval of power relations.
Thus, for the Cercle, reducing decolonization to a mere matter of agreement among the various ethnic groups in Martinican society amounts to betraying its deeper meaning. The goal is not to establish a dialogue between communities, but rather to put an end to relationships of exploitation and domination in all their forms. Consequently, they find it inappropriate that “Tous Créoles” could claim to pay homage to the figure of Fanon, whose humanism cannot be separated from the imperative to break with colonialism and capitalism. To adopt his name without embracing this radicalism would amount to watering down his ideas, to ignoring that his vision demands that Martinicans take control of their own destiny and freely manage their resources, free from the tutelage of the French state.
In the face of this scathing criticism, I decided, for the first time, to respond—not out of a desire to justify myself or out of indignation, but with a sincere desire to foster dialogue.
Fundamentally, we share many views with the Cercle Frantz Fanon. We fully recognize that Fanon is a major figure in decolonial and revolutionary thought, and that his work constitutes a radical critique of systems of oppression. His humanism is rooted in a rejection of all forms of domination and a tireless quest for universal dignity. He believed in humanity’s capacity to reinvent itself, to transcend the constraints imposed by history and strive toward what he called the “Total Man.”.
We also agree with his analysis of colonialism, not only as a system of economic and political exploitation, but also as a form of destructive psychological violence. As a psychiatrist, Fanon shed light on the devastating effects of oppression on the individual, asserting that the liberation of peoples also requires inner liberation. His work on the mechanisms of alienation remains essential to understanding today’s postcolonial struggles.
Above all, however, we take away one central aspect of his thought: his rejection of rigid identities. Fanon advocates a universal vision of human identity that transcends racial and cultural classifications. He opposes all forms of racism and the hierarchization of peoples, and although he was a revolutionary, he never denied the need for dialogue and active listening. He did not conceive of the future as a mere reversal of roles, but as a total reinvention of human relationships.
Fanon's Radicalism
It was in this spirit that we approached the organization of this conference. Far from downplaying the radical nature of Fanon’s ideas, we sought to highlight the depth of his thought and its burning relevance today. His influence extends far beyond his own era: from anti-racist movements in the United States—such as those that emerged during the protests in Ferguson and Baltimore—to identity-based struggles in post-apartheid Africa, and protest music, Fanon continues to inspire contemporary struggles. And we fully embrace this…
We also know that his humanism differs from classical European humanism. Whereas the latter was often accompanied by justifications for colonialism and slavery, Fanon proposes a humanism that can arise only from overcoming oppressive structures. What he calls the “ethic of generosity” is not merely a moral ideal, but a revolutionary necessity. It is not a matter of universalizing a preexisting model, but rather of creating a new world, free from the old forms of domination. Our world of Creolity!
At Tous Créoles, we have always sought to align our actions with this goal. Our conferences—particularly those organized as part of the “Truth and Reconciliation” series—have never shied away from difficult questions. We have laid bare systems of oppression, analyzed colonial legacies, and sought, in our own small way, to create spaces for dialogue that allow us to move forward without denying the wounds of the past.
We do not claim to hold the sole truth about Fanon. We have sought our own path, drawing inspiration from his thought without confining it to a single interpretation. While Fanon, in his commitment to the Algerian cause, called for transforming internalized violence into revolutionary force, he never ceased to deconstruct the colonial Manichaeism that reduced the colonized to an inferior being and the colonizer to an unshakable oppressor. He always sought to restore to colonized peoples their full humanity and their right to self-determination, while rejecting the confines of identity-based categorizations.
Even today, his legacy continues to challenge us. It is key to understanding today’s struggles and to reflecting on individual and collective emancipation. It invites us never to accept the established order as inevitable, but to imagine new horizons. And it is precisely in this spirit that we have organized this conference.
We do not claim to be Fanon’s sole legitimate heirs. But we believe that his message does not call for isolation or dogmatism. It demands that we reflect, debate, and build. Not to artificially reconcile antagonisms without resolving injustices, but to move forward, fully aware of the past. Above all, to turn our differences into a collective endeavor—to create a Martinique enriched by all its diverse elements.
While this approach may seem insufficient in the eyes of the Cercle Frantz Fanon, we accept it. But we assert that the debate surrounding his work cannot be monopolized by anyone. It belongs to all those who, even today, reject domination in all its forms and seek, each in their own way, to create a more just world.
Gérard Dorwling-Carter
