List of people born in Martinique with at least one parent or grandparent born there, or who are living or have lived in Martinique:
Painters and sculptors •
Victor Anicet •
Jean-François Boclé • Hector Charpentier •
Henri Guédon • René Louise • Joseph René-Corail, also known as Khokho
Film-makers, screenwriters, directors and actors •
Lucien Jean-Baptiste - actor, writer and director •
Stéfi Celma - actress and singer. •
Alex Descas - film actor •
Viktor Lazlo - singer. •
Darling Légitimus - former actress. •
Chris Macari - video director and producer •
Euzhan Palcy - film director, screenwriter, and producer. •
Sabine Quindou - journalist and TV presenter •
Cathy Rosier - model and actress
Singers, musicians or music groups at the
Mons International Film Festival (May 2007). She was made Officier des l'
ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2020 and National Order of the
Legion of Honor in 2014. , rapper and singer of
Dancehall and
Trap •
Paulo Albin : author, composer and performer, lead singer in
La Perfecta •
Jenny Alpha : actress and singer •
Jocelyne Béroard : author and part of the group
Kassav' and first woman to receive a double gold record, for the sales of her album
Siwo in the Antilles. She was made Officer of l'
ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2020 and National Order of the
Legion of Honor in 2014. •
Mino Cinelu : musician •
Cyril Cinélu : winner of
Star Académy 2006 •
Miss Dominique : singer •
Gibson Brothers : a disco/salsa band from Sainte-Marie •
Christina Goh : singer and songwriter of
blues-
chanson réaliste music •
JoeyStarr :
rapper, producer and actor •
Simon Jurad : author, composer, performer (former guitarist of La Perfecta) •
Lord Kossity :
rapper and
dancehall singer. In 1998, he recorded the hit Ma Benz with
Kool Shen and
JoeyStarr on
Suprême NTM's album, which made him a household name in France. •
Philippe Lavil : singer, author, composer and performer •
Kalash : rapper •
Tiitof :
rapper and
trap music artist. •
Viktor Lazlo : actress and singer • Princess Lover :
zouk singer •
Malavoi : band mixing French Antillean music with modern influences from across the Americas •
Edmond Mondésir : author, composer and singer of
Bèlè music •
La Perfecta : a band which played music including
cadence and
compas most active in the 1970s and 80s. • Ronald Rubinel : author, composer, performer and producer of
zouk. •
Dédé Saint Prix : singer and traditional musician playing
chouval bwa •
Shy'm : French R'n'B singer and dancer •
Axel Tony : singer •
Lynnsha : singer, author, composer and performer of zouk • Eddy Marc :
zouk singer •
Stacy:
zouk singer, nominee for Best New International Act at the
BET Awards 2020.
Sports personalities Athletics / Parathletics •
Marie-José Pérec •
Coralie Balmy •
Ghislaine Barnay •
Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos •
Mandy François-Elie •
Max Morinière •
Hermann Panzo •
Ronald Pognon Basketball •
Marielle Amant •
Leslie Ardon •
Sandrine Gruda •
Ronny Turiaf •
Mathias Lessort is the
2019 European Artistic Gymnastics all-around champion, a two-time European champion on floor exercise (
2018,
2019), and the
2021 European champion on the balance beam. , freestyle swimmer, at the parade of French medallists of the
2012 Olympics (August 2012) at the 2011
FIFA Women's World Cup (July 2011) at a
New York Knicks practice (October 2010)
Football •
Stéphane Abaul •
Fabrice Abriel •
Nicolas Anelka •
Johan Audel •
Jean-Sylvain Babin •
Mickaël Biron •
Garry Bocaly •
Patrick Burner •
Manuel Cabit •
Florian Chabrolle •
Daniel Charles-Alfred •
Paul Chillan •
Jérémie Porsan-Clémenté •
Gaël Clichy •
Charles-Édouard Coridon •
Mathias Coureur •
Sébastien Crétinoir •
Jordy Delem •
Didier Domi •
Julio Donisa •
Gaël Germany •
Joan Hartock •
Thierry Henry •
Christophe Hérelle •
Daniel Hérelle •
Steeven Langil •
Peter Luccin •
Kévin Parsemain •
Patrick Percin •
Frédéric Piquionne •
David Regis •
Loïc Rémy •
Wendie Renard •
Fabrice Reuperné •
Emmanuel Rivière •
Franck Tanasi •
Kévin Théophile-Catherine •
Raphaël Varane •
Sylvain Wiltord •
Axel Witsel •
Warren Zaïre-Emery •
Jonathan Zebina Handball •
Joël Abati •
Mathieu Grébille •
Cédric Sorhaindo Judo •
Amandine Buchard •
Kayra Sayit Tennis •
Gaël Monfils Volleyball •
Frantz Granvorka •
Séverin Granvorka Politics Contemporary political figures , President of the Executive Council of Martinique since 2 July 2021, President of the Regional Council of Martinique from 2010 to 2015, Mayor of Fort-de-France from 2001 to 2010 and President of the
Martinican Progressive Party since 2005 , Abolitionist and anti-slavery Member of Parliament from 1848 to 1849 and 1871-1874 •
Maurice Antiste, Senator and former mayor of François • David Zobda, Mayor of
Lamentin, vice-president of
CACEM and member of the Executive Council of Martinique • Didier Laguerre, Mayor of
Fort-de-France, CACEM and Councillor to the
Assembly of Martinique • Yann Monplaisir, Mayor of
Saint-Joseph,1st vice-president of the Territorial Authorities of Martinique •
André Lesueur, Mayor of
Rivière-Salée and former Conseiller régional of Martinique •
Serge Letchimy, President of the Executive Council of Martinique since 2021, member of the
National Assembly of France representing the island of
Martinique's 3rd constituency since June 2007 •
Josette Manin, Member of Parliament for Martinique, Councillor to the Assembly of Martinique and former President of the General Council of Martinique •
Bruno Nestor Azerot, Mayor of Sainte-Marie, President of
CAP Nord Martinique and Councillor to the Assembly of Martinique •
Jean-Philippe Nilor, Deputy and Councillor to the Assembly of Martinique • Luc-Louison Clémenté, Mayor of
Schoelcher and President of the
CACEM • Justin Pamphile, Mayor of
Le Lorrain, Councillor to the Assembly of Martinique, President of the Association of Mayors of Martinique • Nicaise Monrose, Mayor of
Sainte-Luce, vice-president of CAESM and member of the Executive Council of Martinique • Arnaud René-Corail, Mayor of
Les Trois-Ilets, vice-president of CAESM and member of the Executive Council of Martinique • Marie-Thérèse Casimirius, Mayor of
Basse-Pointe, First Vice-president of
CAP Nord Martinique and member of the Executive Council of Martinique •
Manuéla Kéclard-Mondésir, Member of Parliament for Martinique • Lucien Saliber, President of the
Assembly of Martinique, 4th Vice President of
CAP Nord Martinique, Municipal Councillor of
Le Morne-Vert and former mayor of Le Morne-Vert • Jenny Dulys-Petit, Mayor of
Le Morne Rouge and Councillor to the Assembly of Martinique •
Audrey Pulvar, former journalist and politician, Deputy Mayor of
Paris and Regional Councillor for
Île-de-France, Member of the Standing Committee. •
Karine Jean-Pierre, political advisor,
White House Press Secretary. •
Cédric Pemba-Marine was born in
Hauts-de-Seine in France, of Martinican origin, and mayor of
Le Port-Marly since 2020.
Politicians of Martinique , deputy from 1849 to 1851 and one of the fathers of the abolition of slavery in Martinique •
Pierre Aliker, doctor and mayor of Fort-de-France •
Josephine Bonaparte, born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie was
Empress of the French and
Queen consort of Italy •
Cyrille Bissette, deputy and one of the fathers of the abolition of slavery in Martinique •
Auguste-François Perrinon, Abolitionist Member of Parliament •
Pierre-Marie Pory-Papy, first black Martinican to become a lawyer, a mayor of Saint-Pierre and Abolitionist Member of Parliament •
Victor Mazuline, first black Martinican elected Member of Parliament •
Léopold Bissol, deputy and one of the founders of the communist movement in Martinique and the
CGT Martinique union •
Aimé Césaire, Deputy Mayor of
Fort-de-France and President of the Regional Council •
Camille Darsières, Member of Parliament and President of the Regional Council •
Louis Delgrès, known for the anti-Slavery proclamation signed with his name, dated 10 May 1802, and leading resistance on Guadeloupe to reoccupation and thus the reinstitution of
slavery by
Napoleonic France in 1802. •
Alcide Delmont, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies of the nineteenth and nineteenth century, in the government of
André Tardieu •
Ernest Deproge, Member of Parliament for Martinique (1882–1898), President of the General Council and a controversial figure of French colonization •
Osman Duquesnay, Mayor of Fort-de-France and Member of Parliament •
François Duval, Senator from 1968 to 1977, Mayor of François and President of the General Council •
Georges Gratiant, Mayor of Lamentin and President of the General Council •
Marius Hurard, deputy and founder of the secular school in Martinique •
Joseph Lagrosillière, deputy and founder of the socialist movement in Martinique •
Pierre-Alexandre Le Camus, Count of Fürstenstein (born in Martinique in 1774, died in 1824 in
Le Chesnay),
Secretary of State and foreign minister to
Kingdom of Westphalia. •
Henry Lémery,
Justice Minister in the government of
Gaston Doumergue, Martinican appointed minister in a French government. •
Émile Maurice, Mayor of Saint-Joseph and
President of the General Council •
Camille Petit, deputy and founder of the
Gaullist movement in Martinique •
Pierre Petit, Mayor of
Le Morne-Rouge and Member of Parliament •
Marie-Joseph Pernock served in the National Assembly from 1966 to 1967. •
Michel Renard, Mayor of Marigot and Deputy •
Victor Sévère, Deputy Mayor of Fort-de-France •
Paul Symphor, President of the General Council 1947–1948 and Senator •
Victor Schœlcher (died 1893), deputy of Martinique, 1848–1849 and 1871–1875, known for having acted in favor of the definitive
abolition of slavery in France, via the decree of abolition of 1848 •
Emmanuel Véry-Hermence 1902–1966, member of the National Assembly
Martinican writers and intellectuals poet, playwright and author of ''
Cahier d'un retour au pays natal''. He is one of the founders of
Négritude.
thumb|Édouard Glissant</a>, novelist, poet, essayist and philosopher. He won the Prix Renaudot in 1958, the Prix Puterbaugh in the United States in 1989 and the Prix Roger Caillois in 1991. Edouard Glissant is the founder of the literary movement L'
Antillanité and the philosophical concept "Le Tout Monde". , Philosopher, essayist, and winner of the
Frantz Fanon prize in 1999. In 1932, he was amongst Martinique literary figures engaged in publishing
Légitime Défense. , novelist awarded the
Prix Goncourt in 1992 for his novel
Texaco and Commander of the
ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2010. He is a co-founder of the literary movement
Créolité. , novelist awarded the
Prix Goncourt in 1921 for his novel
Batouala , novelist and cofounder of the literary movement
Créolité. He has won several literary prizes including the
prix Novembre in 1991 for his novel
Eau de café, the Shibusawa-Claudel Prize in Japan, the Antigone Prize, the Caribbean Literary Prize, the Carbet Prize and the
Casa de las Américas Prize in Cuba. A non-exhaustive list of the main novelists, poets, playwrights, essayists, sociologists, economists and historians from Martinique: •
Jacques Adélaïde-Merlande: Historian. In 2000, he was awarded an honorary degree by the
University of the West Indies. He is the author of "
Histoire générale des Antilles et des Guyanes, des Précolombiens à nos jours" and directed the publication of volumes 3 and 4 of the "
Historial antillais" series. • Alfred Alexandre: writer, he won the Prix des Amériques insulaires et de la Guyane in 2006 for his novel "
Bord de canal". In 2020, he won the
Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe et du Tout-Monde for his collection of poems "
The walk of Leïla Khane". •
Sabine Andrivon-Milton: historian, founder of the Association for the Military History of Martinique and
Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, she is the author of "
La Martinique pendant la Grande Guerre" a collection of poems and songs, and "
Anatole dans la tourmente du Morne Siphon". •
Jean Bernabé: writer, linguist and author of several novels including ''Le Bailleur d'étincelle
and Le Partage des ancêtres'' • Daniel Boukman: writer, he won the
Carbet Prize in 1992, writing ''Et jusqu'à la dernière pulsation de nos veines
, Délivrans
, and Chants pour hâter la mort du temps des Orphées ou Madinina île esclave'' • Roland Brival: writer, awarded the
prix RFO du livre in 2000 and chevalier de l'
ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2013 • Guy Cabort-Masson: novelist, who won the Prix de la Fondation Frantz Fanon in 1998 for
La Mangrove mulâtre,
Martinique, comportements et mentalité •
Nicole Cage-Florentiny: novelist who won the prix Casa de las Américas 1996 (Cuba) for ''Arc-en-Ciel, l'espoir
, also writing C'est vole que je vole
and a bilingual collection of poems, Dèyè pawol sé lanmou / Par-delà les mots l'amour'' •
Mayotte Capécia: novelist born in Le Carbet in 1916, the author of two major novels "
I Am a Martinican Woman" and "
The White Negress". She won the France-Antilles prize for "
Je suis martiniquaise" in 1949 •
Marie-Magdeleine Carbet: a novelist, whose best-known work is a volume of poetry titled "
Rose de ta grâce". She received the
Prix littéraire des Caraïbes in 1970 • Paule Cassius de Linval, writer, storyteller and poet. In 1961, his collection of tales "
Mon pays à travers les légendes" won the
prix Montyon •
Aimé Césaire: poet and playwright and father of the concept of
négritude, ''
Cahier d'un retour au pays natal, Discourse on Colonialism, The Tragedy of King Christophe'' •
Suzanne Césaire: author of
Léo Frobénius et le problème des civilisations and
Aurore de la liberté •
Patrick Chamoiseau: novelist awarded the
prix Goncourt in 1992 for
Texaco,
Chronique des sept misères,
Une enfance créole • Nadia Chonville: Sociologist and novelist. She is the author of the fantasy novel "
Rose de Wégastrie". •
Raphaël Confiant: novelist awarded the prix Antigone and the
prix Novembre for his work
Eau de café, Adèle et la Pacotilleuse, La Panse du chacal • Jean Crusol: economist and author of
Les Antilles Guyane et la Caraïbe: coopération et globalisation,
Le tourisme et la Caraïbe and ''L'enjeu des petites Économies insulaires'' •
Camille Darsières: and author of:
Des origines de la nation martiniquaise,
Joseph Lagrosillière, socialiste colonial •
Marie-Reine de Jaham, novelist, made officer of the
ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2013, awarded the
Prix littéraire des Caraïbes in 1997 and author of the best-selling novel "La Grande Béké" •
Édouard de Lépine: historian and essayist,
Sur la Question dite du Statut de la Martinique, ''Questions sur l'histoire antillaise: trois essais sur l'abolition, l'assimilation, l'autonomie
, Dix semaines qui ébranlèrent la Martinique '' • Tony Delsham: a journalist and best selling novelist in the Antilles; he is author of ''Xavier: Le drame d'un émigré antillais
, Papa, est-ce que je peux venir mourir à la maison?
and "Tribunal des femmes bafouées''". • Georges Desportes: novelist, poet and essayist, the author of:
Cette île qui est la nôtre, ''Sous l'œil fixe du soleil
and Le Patrimoine martiniquais, souvenirs et réflexions''. •
Suzanne Dracius: novelist awarded the prix de la Société des Poètes français Jacques Raphaël-Leygues in 2010:
Negzagonal et Moun le Sid, and in 2009 Prix Fetkann
Maryse Condé in the poetry category for
Exquise déréliction métisse • Miguel Duplan, a writer and teacher, he won the
Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe in 2007 for his novel "L'Acier". He is also the author of the following novels "Le Discours profane" and "Un long silence de Carnaval". • Victor Duquesnay: Martinican poet. His best-known works are "Les Martiniquaises" and "Les Chansons des Isles". • Jude Duranty: writer in
French and
Martinican Creole. He is the author of "Zouki ici danse", de "La fugue de Sopaltéba" and "Les contes de Layou". •
Frantz Fanon: essayist, author of
Black Skin, White Masks and
The Wretched of the Earth • Georges Fitt-Duval: poet, author of the following collections of poems: "Salut ma patrie", "Floralies-florilèges" and "Environnement, tropiques rayonnants". •
Édouard Glissant: novelist awarded the
prix Renaudot in 1958. He is the author of
La Lézarde,
La Case du commandeur. In 1992, Edouard Glissant was a finalist for the
Nobel prize in Literature, but it was the St. Lucian poet and playwright
Derek Walcott who won by one vote. • Gilbert Gratiant: a pioneer of literature Martinican Creole, writing: ''Fab' Compè Zicaque
, Poèmes en vers faux
, Sel et Sargasses''. • Simonne Henry-Valmore: ethno-psychoanalyst and essayist. She won the prix
Frantz Fanon in 1988 for "
Dieu en exil". She co-wrote "
Aimé Césaire, le nègre inconsolé" with Roger Toumson in 1992, then "
objet perdu" in 2013. •
Fabienne Kanor, novelist, awarded the
Prix RFO du livre in 2007 for her novel "Humus". In 2014, she won the
Prix Carbet De la Caraïbe for her novel "Faire l'aventure". •
Viktor Lazlo: novelist, singer and actor •
Étienne Léro: co-author of the literary journal
Légitime défense and the journal
Tropiques •
Yva Léro: novelist, Yva Léro authored "
La Plaie", "''Peau d'ébène
" and "Doucherie''". • Georges-Henri Léotin: novelist in French and Martinican Creole. He is the author of "
Memwè la tè", "
Mango vèt", and "
Bèlè li sid". • Marie-Hélène Léotin, historian and executive advisor to the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique in charge of Heritage and Culture, she is the author of "
Habiter le monde, Martinique 1946-2006"; • Térèz Léotin: writer in French and Martinican Creole. She is the author of the novels "
Le génie de la mer", "
La panthère" et "
Un bonheur à crédit". • André Lucrèce: sociologist and writer author of
La pluie de Dieu,
Civilisés et énergumènes, and
Société et modernité •
J. Q. Louison: poet and author of the fantasy novel series
Le Crocodile assassiné,
Le Canari brisé and ''L'Ère du serpent''. •
Marie-Thérèse Julien Lung-Fou: Martinican writer best known for her collections of "créole tales" published in three volumes in 1979: "
Contes mes", "
Contes diaboliques, fabliaux" and "
Contes animaux, proverbes, titimes ou devinettes". She also wrote the essay entitled "
Le Carnaval aux Antilles". • Marcel Manville: essayist, and winner of the Frantz Fanon Prize in 1992 for his essay
Les Antilles sans fard. •
René Maran: novelist awarded the
prix Goncourt in 1921
for Batouala,
Un homme pareil aux autres • Georges Mauvois: novelist, playwright he won the
Casa de las Américas Prize 2004 for
Ovando ou Le magicien de Saint-Domingue,
Agénor Cacoul,
Man Chomil. • Alfred Melon-Degras, writer, poet and academic. He is the author of"
Le silence", "
Battre le rappel" and "
Avec des si, avec des mains". •
René Ménil, philosopher and essayist. In 1999, he received the Frantz Fanon Prize for his essay "
Antilles déjà jadis".He was also co-founder in 1932 of the journal
Légitime Défense and with Aimé Césaire of the cultural review
Tropiques in 1941. He is the author of "
Tracées : Identité, négritude, esthétique aux Antilles" and "''Pour l'émancipation et l'identité du peuple martiniquais''". René Ménil, and with
Césaire,
Fanon and
Glissant is one of Martinique's greatest thinkers. •
Monchoachi: the pen name of André Pierre-Louis, a writer in French and Martinican Creole, he won the Carbet Prize and the prix
Max-Jacob in 2003. His works include ''L'Espère-geste
, Lakouzémi
, Nostrom
and Lémistè'' •
Paulette Nardal: co-founder of the journal,
La Revue du Monde Noir in 1932 and one of the inspirations of the
négritude movement •
Jeanne Nardal: Writer, philosopher and essayist, sister of Paulette Nardal • Armand Nicolas: Martinican historian. He is the author of "
Histoire de la Martinique", "
La révolution antiesclavagiste de mai 1848 à La Martinique", and "L'Insurrection du Sud à la Martinique, septembre 1870". •
Gaël Octavia, writer, playwright • Xavier Orville: novelist, who won the Frantz Fanon prize in 1993. He wrote
Le Corps absent de Prosper Ventura,
Le Parfum des belles de nuit. • Gilbert Pago: historian and author of "''1848 : Chronique de l'abolition de l'esclavage en Martinique''", "L'insurrection de Martinique 1870–1871", and "Lumina Sophie dite Surprise (1848–1879): insurgée et bagnarde". • Roger Parsemain: Poet and novelist. He is the author of "''L'œuvre des volcans
", "l'absence du destin
" and "Il chantait des boléros''". • Eric Pézo, Writer and novelist in French and Martinican Creole, author of the novels : "''L'amour sinon rien
"; in Martinican Creole, "lanmou épi sé tout
", "Marie-Noire
", and "Passeurs de rives
" and "Lasotjè''", a work of poetry. •
Daniel Picouly: writer, tv host and winner of the
Prix Renaudot for ''L'Enfant Léopard'' • Vincent Placoly: winner of the prix Frantz Fanon in 1991. Author of
Une journée torride,
La vie et la mort de Marcel Gonstran, ''L'eau-de-mort guildive'' • Alain Rapon, novelist and storyteller. He is the author of the novel "''La Présence de l'Absent
" and received the Prix littéraire des Caraïbes in 1983. He is also the author of "Ti soleil
", "Ti-Fène et la rivière qui chante
", "Itinéraire d'un Esprit perdu
" and "Danse, petit nègre danse''". • Clément Richer: Martinican novelist and author of "''L'homme de la Caravelle
". In 1941 and 1948 he was awarded the Prix Paul Flat by the Académie française for his novel "Le dernier voyage de Pembroke
" and "La croisière de la Priscilla
" and the Prix Marianne in 1939. His novel "Ti Coyo et son requin''" has been translated into English, German, Spanish, Danish and Dutch and adapted for film by
Italo Calvino as
Tiko and the Shark. • Jean-Marc Rosier: writer in French and Martinican Creole. He won the prix Sonny Rupaire for his novel in Creole, "
An lavi chimérik" in 1999, then the
prix Carbet de la Caraïbe for his novel "
Noirs néons" in 2008 and in the poetry category of the prix Fetkann
Maryse Condé for "
Urbanîle" in 2015. •
Julienne Salvat: writer, poet, she is the author of
Feuillesonge, ''La lettre d'Avignon'' •
Juliette Sméralda: sociologist, author of ''L'Indo-Antillais entre Noirs et Békés
, Peau noire cheveu crépu, l'histoire d'une aliénation'' • Daniel Thaly: Martinican poet, and librarian of the Schœlcher Library from 1939 to 1945. •
Raphaël Tardon: writer, author of "
La Caldeira" and "
Starkenfirst", which received the grand prix littéraire des Antilles in 1948. In 1967, Raphaël Tardon was posthumously awarded the
Prix littéraire des Caraïbes in recognition of his life's work. •
Louis-Georges Tin: essayist and academic, the author of ''Esclavage et réparations : Comment faire face aux crimes de l'histoire'' and author of a dictionary that documents the history of the treatment of homosexuals in all regions of the world. •
Simone Yoyotte: She was the only woman to participate in producing the literary journal
Légitime Défense published in 1932 by young Martinican intellectuals in Paris and considered one of the founding acts of the
Négritude movement. •
Joseph Zobel: A novelist, and winner of the Frantz Fanon Prize in 1994. He is the author of :
La Rue Cases-Nègres Other personalities •
Antoine Lavalette (1708–1767), Jesuit missionary to Martinique, slave owner whose debts led to the banning of the Jesuits in France. •
Hippolyte Morestin, doctor, associate professor of anatomy and specialist in
reconstructive surgery •
Harry Roselmack, journalist •
Karine Baste, journalist •
Manon Tardon, fought with the French Resistance in the Second World War •
Jane Léro, communist and feminist activist and founder of the Union des Femmes de la Martinique (l'UFM; Union of Women of Martinique •
Soa de Muse, drag performer, finalist in first ever season of
Drag Race France == Energy ==