Jean Ralaimongo

Jean Ralaimongo was a teacher who came to prominence after campaigning to get the French government to give citizenship to the people of Madagascar. Ralaimongo wanted Madagascar to become a French dpartement and therefore part of France. He came to prominence after 3,000 demonstrated following speeches in a cinema in 1929.

Ralaimongo was born in 1885 to a pastor at one of the missions in Madagascar. This was the same year that a treaty was made between the main ruler of the Island and France. The terms of this treaty would serve as a pretext for France to invade ten years later. Ralaimongo became a teacher and after visiting France in 1910 he like 40,000 of his fellows served in the first world war. A fifth of these 40,000 did not return, but those who had shown this allegiance to France may have felt that France may also owe them some allegiance. Ralaimongo wanted to be given the chance to be a Frenchman.

Source: Wikipedia