A Survey of African Poetry in the London Times, Sunday Times, Financial Times, the Times Literary Supplement 1865-1985

Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo, born in 1901 in Madagascar under French colonial rule, is considered to be one of Africa's first modern poets. Rabearivelo grew up poor and never received recognition from the elite circles of colonial Madagascar despite his literary achievements. He died by suicide in 1937, just before the start of the Négritude movement.