Gabriel Omer Descemet Explained

Gabriel Omer Descemet (December 1, 1879^[1] —1961) was a Senegalese colonial administrator. He served as acting lieutenant governor of Mauritania from 19 June 1931 to 22 June 1933 and lieutenant governor from 7 April 1934 to 5 July 1934.^[2] Born into a Metis family in Saint-Louis, Senegal, Descemet attended lycee in Paris and trained in what is now Mali.^[3] He climbed higher in the French administration than many Metis, serving for 25 years in Haut-Senegal-Niger. As governor of Mauritania, he initiated an investigation of the claims of Louis Hunkanrin, including those of murder and slavery.^[4]

References

• Book: Annuaire du Ministère des Colonies. 1907. Ministère des Colonies. French.
• McDougall. E.A.. Setting the Story Straight: Louis Hunkanrin and "Un Forfait Colonial". History in Africa. 1989. 16. 285–310. 3171788. Cambridge University Press. 10.2307/3171788.
• Book: Robinson. David. Sociétés musulmanes et pouvoir colonial français au Sénégal et en Mauritanie, 1880-1920. 2004. KARTHALA Editions. 284586485X. French.

Notes and References

1. Ministère des colonies 1907, p. 738
2. Web site: Mauritania. Rulers.org. September 30, 2016.
3. Robinson 2004, p. 174
4. McDougall 1989, p. 293