Black French people also known as French Black people or Afro-French (Afro-Français) are French people who are Sub-Saharan African (including Afro-Caribbean, Malagasy and Afro-Arabs) and Melanesian. It also includes people of mixed ancestry. The absence of a legal definition of what it means to be "black" in France, the extent of anti-miscegenation laws over several centuries, the great diversity of black populations (African, Caribbean, etc) and the lack of legal recognition of ethnicity in French population censuses make this social entity extremely difficult to define, unlike in countries such as the United States.

Definition issues

In France, there is no formal definition of ethnicity, particularly in terms of its relationship to French identity or to métissage. However, this type of identity may be reflected in organizations such as the Conseil représentatif des associations noires, or in other ways. Much of the academic literature dedicated to black people comes from the USA, where "black identity" is relatively homogeneous: these are essentially the descendants of slaves brought over in the 18th century to work on the plantations of the American Southeast. However, the definition of "black" in the United States, based on the "One-drop rule", is also highly open to criticism, and only partially correlates with skin color and historical trajectory. If the black Americans can be roughly compared to French black people from the overseas departments (notably the West Indies, even if equal rights there go back much further than in the US), the bulk of dark-skinned people living in mainland France have nothing to do with this pattern or with the history of slavery: as historian and former minister Pap Ndiaye points out, in France "the black group is infinitely diverse socially and culturally, and lumping all blacks into the same categorical bag is a problematic operation." This great complexity in talking about "Blacks" served as the basis for the screenplay of the film Tout simplement noir (by Jean-Pascal Zadi and John Wax, 2020), which illustrates the distance between personalities such as Claudia Tagbo (a naturalized French actress from Côte d'Ivoire), Omar Sy (a French actor born in Trappes to Senegalese and Malian parents), Lucien Jean-Baptiste (an actor from Martinique) and JoeyStarr (born in Paris to Martinique parents of Afro-Caribbean, Breton and Chinese descent), Éric Judor (born to a father of mixed race from Guadeloupe and an Austrian mother) and Vikash Dhorasoo (of south Indian origin). Other non-African black-skinned ethnic groups include some of the Dravidian peoples of southern India, and the Melanesians of the south-western Pacific Ocean (including the French territory of New Caledonia), of whom Christian Karembeu is a famous representative.

Population statistics

Although it is illegal for the government of France to collect data on ethnicity and race in the census (a law with its origins in the 1789 revolution and reaffirmed in the constitution of 1958), various population estimates exist. An article in The New York Times in 2008 stated that estimates vary between 3 million and 5 million. It is estimated that four out of five black people in France are of African immigrant origin, with the minority being chiefly of Caribbean ancestry. Some organizations, such as the Representative Council of France's Black Associations (, CRAN), have argued in favor of the introduction of data collection on minority groups but this has been resisted by other organizations and ruling politicians, often on the grounds that collecting such statistics goes against France's secular principles and harkens back to Vichy-era identity documents. During the 2007 presidential election, however, Nicolas Sarkozy was polled on the issue and stated that he favoured the collection of data on ethnicity. Part of a parliamentary bill which would have permitted the collection of data for the purpose of measuring discrimination was rejected by the Conseil Constitutionnel in November 2007.

Notable people

In French politics

Afro-French members of the French Parliament or government from overseas France

There have been dozens of Afro-Caribbean, Kanak, and Afro-French MPs representing overseas electoral districts at the French National Assembly or at the French Senate, and several government members.

Afro-French people elected in metropolitan France

Political activists

In sports

In basketball

• Tariq Abdul-Wahad • Alexis Ajinça • Andrew Albicy • Joël Ayayi • Nicolas Batum • Rodrigue Beaubois • Juhann Begarin • Isaïa Cordinier • Boris Diaw • Moustapha Fall • Rudy Gobert • Sandrine Gruda • Mathias Lessort • Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot • Ian Mahinmi • Amath M'Baye • Joakim Noah • Endéné Miyem • Frank Ntilikina • Tony Parker • Johan Petro • Mickaël Piétrus • Yves Pons • Iliana Rupert • Olivier Sarr • Kevin Séraphin • Diandra Tchatchouang • Axel Toupane • Ronny Turiaf • Valériane Vukosavljević (née Ayayi) • Victor Wembanyama • Gabby Williams • Guerschon Yabusele • Isabelle Yacoubou

In football

• Raoul Diagne (1910-2002), first black player to be selected for France national football team. • Marius Trésor, one of the best central defenders of all time in Pele's top 125 greatest living footballers. • Larbi Benbarek (1914-1992), nicknamed "the Black Pearl", largely remembered as the first successful black footballer in Europe. • Armand Laurienté • Arnaud Kalimuendo • Arnaud Nordin • Abdoulaye Diallo • Adama Soumaoro • Aldo Angoula • Allan Nyom • Alexis Beka Beka • Alexis Claude-Maurice • Alban Lafont • Amir Richardson • Amos Youga • Antoine Baroan • Anthony Modeste • Armand Traoré • Arthur Masuaku • Aurélien Tchouaméni • Christophe Mandanne • Jimmy Briand • Jordan Amavi • Benoît Assou-Ekotto • Boulaye Dia • Boubacar Kamara • Bouna Sarr • Boubakary Soumaré • Bradley Locko • Bryan Mbeumo • Castello Lukeba • Cédric Kipré • Chris Makiese • Christian Karembeu, of New Caledonia • Cyril Mandouki • Damien Plessis • Dan-Axel Zagadou • Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe • Ervin Taha • Nicolas Anelka • Cédric Avinel • Chris Mavinga • Christopher Rocchia • Colin Dagba • Cyriaque Mayounga • Damien Dussaut • Serge Aurier • Elye Wahi • Eric Abidal • Flavien Belson • Florian Chabrolle • Jean-Kévin Augustin • Jean-Christophe Bahebeck • Tiémoué Bakayoko • Florent Sinama Pongolle • Griedge Mbock Bathy • Gaël Clichy • Garland Gbelle • Pascal Chimbonda • Logan Costa • Dayot Upamecano • Djibril Cissé • Kevin Mbabu • Kingsley Coman • Moussa Dembélé • Ousmane Dembélé • Abou Diaby • Koffi Djidji • Lassana Diarra • Axel Disasi • Marcel Desailly • Alou Diarra • Patrice Evra • Harold Moukoudi • Odsonne Édouard • Bafétimbi Gomis • William Gallas • Sidney Govou • Yoan Gouffran • Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro • Johann Obiang • Josuha Guilavogui • Thierry Henry • Romain Habran • Jonathan Ikoné • Julian Jeanvier • N'Golo Kanté • Geoffrey Kondogbia • Presnel Kimpembe • Alexandre Lacazette • Steve Mandanda • Yann M'Vila • Blaise Matuidi • Florent Malouda • Eliaquim Mangala • Anthony Martial • Ethan Mbappé • Kylian Mbappé • Michaël Ciani • Michael Olise • Rio Mavuba • Benjamin Mendy • Ferland Mendy • Paul-Georges Ntep • Christopher Nkunku • Moussa Diaby • Nordi Mukiele • Hervin Ongenda • Nicolas Pépé • Paul Pogba • Ibrahima Konaté • Loïc Rémy • Bacary Sagna • Mamadou Sakho • Marcel Tisserand • Moussa Sissoko • Myziane Maolida • Youssouf Sabaly • Jonathan Biabiany • Louis Saha • Lilian Thuram • Samuel Umtiti • Patrick Vieira • Peter Luccin • William Vainqueur • Raphaël Varane • Sylvain Wiltord • Kurt Zouma • Yacine Brahimi • Sandy Baltimore • Corentin Tolisso • Didier Domi • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang • Mohamed Sissoko • Thomas Lemar • Tanguy Ndombele • Steven N'Zonzi • Layvin Kurzawa • Mike Maignan • Alassane Pléa • Djibril Sidibé • Wendie Renard • Delphine Cascarino • Grace Geyoro • Kadidiatou Diani • Griedge Mbock Bathy • Aïssatou Tounkara • Viviane Asseyi • Emelyne Laurent • Marie-Antoinette Katoto • Malang Sarr • Ouleymata Sarr • Aminata Diallo • Jeff Reine-Adélaïde • Jérôme Roussillon • Lesley Ugochukwu • Lys Mousset • Nicolas Isimat-Mirin • Samuel Moutoussamy • Simon Falette • Steve Marlet • Stéphane Dalmat • Virgil Gomis • Yan Valery • Fabrice Pancrate • Garissone Innocent • Evan Ndicka • William Saliba • Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel • Fabrice Abriel • Francis Coquelin • Franck Beria • Olivier Dacourt • Richard Sele • Philippe Christanval • Donovan Makoma • Mathys Tel • Malcolm Barcola • Grejohn Kyei • Bradley Barcola • Mikaël Silvestre • Wesley Saïd • Jean-Charles Castelletto • Ludovic Blas • Valerien Ismael • Yorgan Agblemagnon • Alexander Djiku • Hugo Ekitike • Kenny Nagera • Kenny Lala • Koba Koindredi • Jacques Zimako • Jérôme Gnako • Joffrey Torvic • Lamine Diaby-Fadiga • Loïck Landre • Loïc Loval • Mounir Obbadi • Oumar Solet • Sekou Yansané • Simon Banza • Wesley Fofana • Giovanni Sio • Granddi N'Goyi • James Léa Siliki • Jimmy Mainfroi • Jonathan Bamba • Malo Gusto • Marley Aké • Maxence Lacroix • Nathaël Julan • Olivier Ntcham • Ouparine Djoco • Randal Kolo Muani • Romain Gall • Samuel Camille • Serhou Guirassy • Sofiane Diop • Tanguy Kouassi • Tanguy Ndombele • Willy Boly • Willem Geubbels • Yannick Bellechasse • Yannick Bolasie • Yanis Cimignani • Yohann Thuram-Ulien • Jean-Philippe Mateta • Mohamed-Ali Cho • Samuel Souprayen • Sébastien Haller • Souleyman Doumbia • Evan Ndicka • Gaël Angoula • Romaric Yapi • Serge Gakpé • Steve Lawson • Tanguy Coulibaly • Thievy Bifouma • Yannick Kamanan • Nathan Ngoumou • Janis Antiste • Johan Audel • Kévin N'Doram • Kévin Fortuné • Louis Nganioni • Wilfried Dalmat • Yannick Pandor • Yves Desmarets • Hiang'a Mbock • Simon Banza • Wesley Jobello • Dylan Saint-Louis • Jordan Pierre-Charles • Amadou Soukouna • Sebastian De Maio • Pierre Kalulu • Gédéon Kalulu • Aldo Kalulu • Loïc Badiashile • Nicolas Senzemba • Valentin Gendrey • Chaker Alhadhur • Isaac Lihadji • Ismail Hassan • Janis Antiste • Jérémy Sorbon • Jonathan Mexique • Kévin Anin • Lilian Brassier • Loïs Diony • Manu Koné • Mickaël Nelson • Sacha Boey • Thomas Ephestion • Warren Zaïre-Emery • Wilfried Domoraud • Rahavi Kifouéti • Yannick Sagbo • Bryan Teixeira • Olivier Davidas • Steven Moreira

In rugby

• Pierre-Henri Azagoh • Demba Bamba • Mathieu Bastareaud • Serge Blanco • Serge Betsen • Jonathan Danty • Ibrahim Diallo • Thierry Dusautoir • Gaël Fickou • Constantin Henriquez • Sekou Macalou • Jimmy Marlu • Noa Nakaitaci • Émile Ntamack • Francis Ntamack • Romain Ntamack • Yannick Nyanga • Fulgence Ouedraogo • Alivereti Raka • Teddy Thomas • Virimi Vakatawa • Cameron Woki • Georges-Henri Colombe • Peato Mauvaka • Yoram Moefana • Romain Taofifénua • Sébastien Taofifénua • Sipili Falatea • Selevasio Tolofua • Patrick Tuifua

Other sports

In entertainment and media

In literature

European / African (or Afro-Caribbean) descent