Introduction to Frantz Fanon
Frantz Fanon is considered the decisive figure of the early anti-colonial and anti-racist theory. For Algerians, he is one of the heroes of the country’s struggle for independence. However, his role during the war against France and his writings remain largely unknown to a broader public. July 20, 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. Fanon was not granted a long life: at only 36 he died of leukemia in 1961 without ever observing the Algerian independence, a goal that he had devoted his life to.
Fight for African Unity
His work is "a reflection on the concept of solidarity to understand what solidarity means in a war of resistance," according to his daughter. She says she hardly knew her father and only retains a few childhood memories, but as a teenager, she immersed herself in the literary work of her father. Fanon’s writings made it clear that the struggle for Algerian independence not only benefited Algeria but also aimed at African unity. "And this African unity is still not there," explains his daughter.
Experiences During the War
In her Parisian apartment, Alice Cherki reminisces about her youth during the War of Independence against France: "I then knew that it was colonialism," she recalls. Now she knows Frantz Fanon well. In the 1950s, she worked as an intern in the Psychiatric Clinic in Blida, Algeria. Frantz Fanon was head of the psychiatric department and not only took care of the sick but also helped Algerian nationalists. "We treated the wounded, the fighters who came here," said Cherki. Fanon set up an alleged day clinic in the hospital for the show. In reality, he secretly took in the wounded and those who had to recover, Cherki said.
Commitment to the "Algerian Thing"
Fanon was born in the French colony Martinique. He grew up in a French colonial environment and was voluntarily registered for France for the Second World War at the age of 17. As a black man, however, he experienced daily racism in the French army. After the war, he studied medicine and philosophy in France and later moved with his wife Josie to Blida in French Algeria, where he became the chief physician of the psychiatric clinic. From the beginning of the war in 1954, Frantz Fanon helped Algerian nationalists while continuing to work as a psychiatrist.
Decisive Works of Anti-Colonial Theory
Frantz Fanon wrote some of the most influential texts of the anti-colonial movement, such as his early work "Black Skin, White Masks" about the psychological effects of racism and colonialism on blacks. However, his most important book was "The Wretched of the Earth", in which he focuses on revolutionary actions and national liberation. The book was published shortly before his death in 1961 with a foreword by Jean-Paul Sartre.
Legacy and Memory
On July 5, 1962, Algeria achieved independence after an eight-year armed fight against the then colonial power, France. Historians estimate the number of Algerian deaths at 500,000; according to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, around 25,000 soldiers lost their lives. Anissa Boumediene, a writer, lawyer, and former First Lady of Algeria, says, "Frantz Fanon is part of Algerian history. He defended independence. He was really an infinitely respectable person." However, even in Algeria, 64 years after his death, his memory should not be taken for granted. Journalist Lazhari Labter, who translates Fanon’s writings into Algerian Arabic, notes that younger generations have become increasingly ignorant about the history of their country and particularly about Fanon’s life and work.
Keeping His Memory Alive
Two new films, "Fanon" by Jean-Claude Barny, published in April 2025, and "Frantz Fanon" by Algerian Director Abdenour Zahzah, released in 2024, will keep his memory and anti-colonial theories alive. His daughter, Mireille Fanon Mendès France, co-chair of the International Frantz Fanon Foundation, continues to promote his work and legacy, ensuring that his contributions to the fight for independence and African unity are not forgotten.
