Batouala

René Maran (1887–1960) was a French novelist and poet born on a ship en route from French Guiana to Martinique. Serving in the French colonial administration in Africa, he drew from these experiences for his writing, most notably his 1921 novel Batouala, which won the Prix Goncourt and made him the first Black author to receive the prestigious award. His works often explored African life, colonial issues, and humanism through novels, poetry, and essays.African American Registry