Stories of state repression often mark “the end” of chapters of intense radical organizing or mass protest in the global 1960s. Focusing on Senegal and Congo-Brazzaville, this talk instead shows how attempts to stifle young activists generated mass upheaval in both countries following formal independence in 1960. Even before the national flags were raised, incoming African state leaders faced harsh criticism from young activists for signing accords that perpetuated colonial institutions. New governments tried to quiet this dissent by breaking up opposition organizations, cutting students’ scholarships, and jailing opponents. Repression was deeply disruptive in both countries, creating gaps in organizing and periods of demoralization, but it was rarely terminal. Often, it led to intense, shared experiences that echoed rituals of initiation into adulthood, particularly for young men. Heavy-handed state actions allowed marginalized radicals to rally the broader population to their demands, characterize themselves as victims of injustice, and create nostalgia around failed struggles.

This talk argues that the 1963 popular uprising that toppled Congo’s first government, and the 1968 general strike that nearly did the same in Senegal became mass movements largely in response to campaigns of state repression.