- Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade (born May 29, 1926) is the third and current President of Senegal, in office since 2000. He is also the Secretary-General of the ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and has led the party since it was founded in 1974. He ran for president four times, beginning in 1978, before he was elected in 2000.
- Cheikh Anta Diop
Cheikh Anta Diop (29 December, 1923-7 February, 1986) is a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, which places emphasis on the human race's origins and on the study of pre-colonial African culture and its connectedness to the rest of the peoples of the world. He has been considered one of the greatest African historians of the 20th century by some, and a racialist scientist by others.
- Idrissa Seck
Idrissa Seck is a Senegalese politician who was Prime Minister of Senegal from November 2002 to April 2004. He was a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and was considered a protégé of President Abdoulaye Wade, but he subsequently went into opposition and was a candidate in the February 2007 presidential election, taking second place with about 15% of the vote. He studied in Paris and at Princeton University.
- Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour (born October 1, 1959 in Dakar) is a Senegalese singer and percussionist. He helped develop popular music in Senegal, known in the Wolof language as "mbalax", a blend of the country's traditional griot percussion and praise-singing with the Afro-Cuban arrangements and flavors which made the return trip from the Caribbean to West Africa in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s and have flourished in West Africa ever since.
- Léopold Sédar Senghor
Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist who served as the first president of Senegal (1960-1980). Senghor was the first African to sit as a member of the Académie française. He was also the founder of the political party called the Senegalese Democratic Bloc. He is regarded by many as one of the most important African intellectuals of the 20th Century.
- Abdou Diouf
Abdou Diouf (born September 7, 1935) was the second president of Senegal, serving from 1981 to 2000. Diouf is notable both for coming to power by peaceful succession, and leaving willingly after losing the 2000 elections to Abdoulaye Wade.
- El Hadji Diouf
El-Hadji Ousseynou Diouf is a Senegalese footballer. He plays for Bolton Wanderers and Senegal.
- Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. He is perhaps the best-known musician to come from Senegal and is a superstar in his home country. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.
- Mamadou Niang
Mamadou Niang (born October 13, 1979 in Matam, Senegal) is a Senegalese football (soccer) striker, who currently plays for Olympique Marseille in Ligue 1. He is 1.78 m tall and weighs 80 kg.
- Yahya Jammeh
Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung) Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. As chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, he took control of the country in a military coup in July 1994, and was elected as president two years later, in September 1996, in widely criticized elections. He founded the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction as his political party.
- Henri Camara
Henri Camara (born May 10, 1977 in Dakar, Senegal) is a Senegalese footballer who, as of 2005, plays for Wigan Athletic of the English FA Premier League. Camara played for Senegal at their surprising run at the 2002 World Cup, scoring two goals, one a golden goal, in the Round of 16 against Sweden. He was part of the 2004 and 2006 African Nations Cup squads as well. At club level, Camara began his career in France with RC Strasbourg (1998-1999), …
- Cheikh Tidiane Gadio
Cheikh Tidiane Gadio (born 16 September 1956 in Saint-Louis, Senegal) has been the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal since April 2000. In November 2002 he became Minister of State in charge of Foreign Affairs. At the African Union summit in Accra, Ghana in early July 2007, where leaders discussed whether a United States of Africa should be created immediately or gradually, Gadio expressed Senegal's stance in favor of immediate creation, …
- Jean-Marie Colombani
Jean-Marie Colombani (b. July 7, 1948 in Dakar, Senegal) is a French journalist, the editor of "Le Monde" daily. Educated at Paris II and Science-Po, he is the author of the leader article published after the New York City terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 on the front page of his newspaper, entitled "We are All Americans". In 2004 Colombani co-authored with Walter Wells, editor of the "International Herald Tribune", …
- Tony Sylva
Tony Mario Sylva (b. May 17, 1975 in Guediawaye, Senegal) is a Senegalese football international goalkeeper currently playing for Lille OSC in French Ligue 1. Sylva has also been on the books at AC Ajaccio and AS Monaco. He is greatly admired by his women followers, The T-Club. He is remembered for leading his country through the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where they managed to get all the way to the Quarter-finals, losing to Turkey by a Golden Goal.
- Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène, often credited in the French style as Sembène Ousmane in articles and reference works, was a Senegalese film director, producer and writer. He was considered one of the greatest authors of sub-Saharan Africa and has often been called the "Father of African film."
- Valéry Giscard D'Estaing
Valéry Marie René Giscard d'Estaing is a French centre-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981. His tenure as President was marked by a rupture with his predecessor on social issues—such as divorce, contraception, and abortion—and attempts to modernize the country and the office of the presidency, …
- Moustapha Niasse
Moustapha Niasse (born November 4 1939) is a Senegalese politician and diplomat. He served as Foreign Minister of Senegal from 1978 to 1984 and from 1993 to 1998. He served as Prime Minister for the first time for a few weeks in 1983, and again from 2000 to 2001. Niasse was director of the presidential cabinet from 1970 to 1979. In March 1979, he became Minister of Town Planning, Housing and Environment, serving in that position until September 1979, …
- Diomansy Kamara
Diomansy Kamara (born November 8, 1980 in Paris, France) is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for the English Premier League club Fulham as a striker.
- Ousmane Ngom
Ousmane Alioune Ngom (born May 18 1955) is a Senegalese politician who is currently Minister of the Interior. For years he was a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) while it was in opposition, and he was the party's second ranking figure, after Abdoulaye Wade. During the periods in which the PDS participated in the government, …
- Claude Le Roy
Claude Le Roy is a French football manager and former player, currently in charge of the Ghana national team. Le Roy has had a varied managerial career, starting out with little hype at the small French club Amiens SC, after taking over as manager when his playing days ended. His achievement of leading the Cameroon national team to runners-up in the 1986 African Cup of Nations, …
- Habib Beye
Habib Beye (born October 19, 1977 in Suresnes (France), is a Senegalese footballer, who currently plays for French League 1 giants Olympique de Marseille, he is the current captain of the Mediterranean club, since the start of the 2006/2007 season. He made substitute appearances in Senegal's matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, against Denmark, Uruguay and Sweden, and is a regular feature in the Senegalese starting line up.
- Mamadou Diop
Also known as Modou Diop, Mamadou Diop is a Senegalese performing artist, now living in the United States. His trademark West African rhythm guitar has brought him much acclaim, having performed with the likes of Thione Seck, Baaba Maal, Jimi Mbaye, Orchestre Baobab, Nicolas Menheim, Papa Seck, the Grand Soda Mama, and many other notable musicians from West Africa. Through his music, he has traveled the world, finally settling in New England just north of Boston, …
- Rokia Traoré
Rokia Traoré is an award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Traoré was born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group. As her father was a diplomat, she travelled widely in her youth including to Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium. As a result of this travel, she was exposed to a wide variety of influences. Her hometown is Kolokani, in the northwestern part of Mali's Koulikoro region.
- Pape Diop
Pape Diop is a Senegalese politician and a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS). He has been Mayor of Dakar, the capital city, since 2002, and was President of the National Assembly of Senegal from 2002 to 2007. Diop was elected Mayor of Dakar on May 12 2002, receiving 52% of the vote and defeating long-time mayor Mamadou Diop. Pape Diop, a wealthy businessman who ran a seafood export company, was still a relatively unknown figure at this time, …
- Djibril Diop Mambéty
Djibril Diop Mambéty was a Senegalese film director, actor, orator, composer and poet. Though he made only a small number of films, they received international acclaim for their original and experimental cinematic technique and non-linear, unconventional narrative style. Born to a Muslim family near Dakar, Senegal's capital city, Mambety was Wolof. He died in 1998 while being treated for lung cancer in a Paris hospital.
- Samir Amin
Samir Amin is an Egyptian political author. He currently lives in Dakar, Senegal. Amin was born in Cairo, the son of an Egyptian father and a French mother (both medical doctors). He spent his childhood and youth in Port Said; there he attended a French High School, leaving in 1947 with a Baccalauréat. From 1947 to 1957 he studied in Paris, gaining a diploma in political science (1952) before graduating in statistics (1956) and economics (1957).
- Talla Sylla
Talla Sylla is a Senegalese politician, and was one of the candidates in the 2007 presidential election. Sylla is the leader of Alliance for Progress and Justice Jëf-Jël. Sylla was born in Pikine, in the outskirts of Dakar. Sylla joined the African Independence Party at the age of 14. He later entered the Université Cheikh Anta Diop to study sociology. In October 1987 he was elected president of the Dakar Students Coordination (CED).
- Breyten Breytenbach
Breyten Breytenbach (born September 16, 1939) is a South African writer and painter with French citizenship. Breyten Breytenbach was born in Bonnievale in the Western Cape, approximately 180 km from Cape Town and 100 km from the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas. He studied fine arts at the University of Cape Town and became a committed opponent of the policy of apartheid. He left South Africa for Paris in the early 1960s.
- Serigne Saliou Mbacke
Serigne Saliou Mbacke (born May 1915) is the current Grand Marabout of the Mouride movement in Senegal. Shaykh Salih Mbacke also called Serigne Saliou Mbacke is the fifth caliph of Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba (Khadimoul Rassoul). Mbacke was the third or fourth born child from a mother whose children died at birth. In fact, it is known to some that Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba said that this one (Shaykh Salih) would stay long.
- Abdoulaye Bathily
Abdoulaye Bathily is a Senegalese politician and the secretary general of the Democratic League/Movement for the Labour Party. Bathily ran for president for the first time in February 1993, taking fourth place with 2.41% of the vote. From 1993 to 1998, Bathily served as Minister for the Environment and the Protection of Nature during the presidency of Abdou Diouf. Following the victory of Abdoulaye Wade in the 2000 presidential election, …
- Khalilou Fadiga
Khalilou Fadiga is a Senegalese football player who plays in midfield for Coventry City. He also holds a Belgian passport. Fadiga began his career at Paris Saint-Germain in France, but failed to make an impression, and so was transferred to fellow Parisian club, "Red Star 93", before moving to Belgian club FC Liège. It was in Belgium that he found the profile that was to launch his international career. After one season he moved from FC Liège to Lommel, …
- Babacar Gaye
Babacar Gaye is a member of the Pan-African Parliament from Senegal; he also sits on that Parliament's Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs. Gaye is also the Force Commander for the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Lamine Diatta
Lamine Diatta is a Senegalese footballer, who is currently a free agent, having left St. Étienne in France. Diatta is tall, strong and the holding force in the centre of Senegal's defence. He gives Senegal aerial power at the back as well as at attacking set pieces. Diatta played in all of Senegal's matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Before moving to Lyon in 2004, Diatta played 142 games for Rennes, scoring 9 goals in that time.
- Iba der Thiam
Iba Der Thiam is a Senegalese writer and politician. Thiam ran in the 2000 Senegalese presidential election under the Convention of Democrats and Patriots and lost with 1% of the popular vote.
- Desagana Diop
DeSagana N'gagne Diop (pronounced Suh-GAH-nah JOP) (born January 30 1982 in Dakar) is a Senegalese professional basketball player currently playing for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Standing seven-feet tall (213 cm) and weighing 280 lbs. (127 kg), Diop's natural position is center.
- Amath Dansokho
Amath Dansokho is a Senegalese politician. He took over as the general secretary of the Party of Independence and Work (PIT) following the death of Seydou Cissokho. Dansokho is currently (2005) the only PIT Member of Parliament. He is also the mayor of Kédougou. Dansokho served in the government as minister of urban planning and housing from April 1991 to September 1995. He supported opposition candidate Abdoulaye Wade in the 2000 presidential election, …
- Wasis Diop
Wasis Diop (born 1950 in Dakar, Senegal) is an internationally renowned musician known for blending traditional Senegalese folk music with modern pop and jazz. The son of a Senegalese high official and member of the Lebou tribe, Diop left Senegal in the 1970s to study engineering in Paris, but once there turned to music, joining a fellow Senegalese musician, Umban Ukset, in forming the band West African Cosmos. Diop left the band in 1979 to start a solo career, …
- Maryse Condé
Maryse Condé is a Guadeloupean, French language author of historical fiction, best known for her novel "Segu" (1984-1985). Maryse Condé was born at Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, the youngest of eight children. In 1953, her parents sent her to study at Lycée Fénelon and Sorbonne in Paris, where she majored in English. In 1959, she married Mamadou Condé, an African actor. After graduating, she taught in Guinea, Ghana, and Senegal.
- Thione Seck
Thione Ballago Seck (born March 12, 1955) is one of Senegal's greatest singers and musicians in the mbalax genre, on par with Baaba Maal and Youssou N'dour although he hasn't achieved the same level of fame outside his country. Seck comes from a family of "griot" singers from the Wolof people of Senegal. His first job was with Orchestre Baobab, but he later formed his own band, Raam Daan, which he still heads.
- Malick Sy
El-Hadji Malick Sy (1855-1922) was a Senegalese religious leader and teacher in the Tijaniyya Sufi brotherhood.