{{short description|French historian and politician}} {{About-distinguish|the French historian and politician|Pape Seydou N'Diaye}} {{Expand French|topic=bio|Pap Ndiaye|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{infobox officeholder | name = Pap Ndiaye | image = Pap Ndiaye.jpg | caption = Ndiaye in 2018 | office = [[Minister of National Education (France)|Minister of National Education and Youth]] | term_start = 20 May 2022 | term_end = 20 July 2023 | president = | prime_minister = [[Élisabeth Borne]] | predecessor = [[Jean-Michel Blanquer]] | successor = [[Gabriel Attal]] | birth_date = 25 October 1965 | birth_place = [[Antony, Hauts-de-Seine|Antony]], [[France]] | education = [[Lycée Lakanal]]<br>[[Lycée Henri-IV]] | alma_mater = {{Lang|fr|[[École normale supérieure de lettres et sciences humaines]]|italic=no}}<br>[[University of Virginia]]<br>[[École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales]] | profession = [[Historian]] | birth_name = Papa N'Diaye | spouse = Jeanne Lazarus | party = [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]] (1980s) }} '''Pap Ndiaye'''<!--Do not add uncited birthdates to biographies of living people!--> ({{IPA|fr|pap ɛndjaj}}) is a French historian and politician who has been serving as France's ambassador to the [[Council of Europe]] since 2023.<ref>[https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/l-ancien-ministre-de-l-education-nationale-pap-ndiaye-nomme-ambassadeur-aupres-du-conseil-de-l-europe-20230726 L'ancien ministre de l'Éducation nationale Pap Ndiaye nommé ambassadeur auprès du Conseil de l'Europe] ''[[Le Figaro]]'', 26 July 2023.</ref>
Ndiaye was a professor at the [[School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences]] and then, since 2012, at [[Sciences Po]]. He served as [[Minister of Education (France)|Minister of National Education and Youth]] in the [[Borne government|government]] of [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Élisabeth Borne]] between May 2022 and July 2023.
As an academic, Ndiaye focused on transnational philosophies of race that draw both from American and French political thought, especially as they apply to the [[African diaspora]] populations of both countries. His appointment to the government by President [[Emmanuel Macron]] drew criticisms from the [[Right-wing politics|far-right]] and parts of the traditional right.<ref>[https://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/pourquoi-emmanuel-macron-a-choisi-de-nommer-pap-ndiaye-a-leducation-nationale-4112874 "Pourquoi Emmanuel Macron a choisi de nommer Pap Ndiaye à l’Éducation nationale"], ''[[Le Journal du Dimanche]]'' (in French), 21 May 2022.</ref><ref name=":0" />
==Early life and education== Ndiaye was born in [[Antony, Hauts-de-Seine]], south of Paris, to a [[Senegal]]ese father and a French mother. His sister is the writer [[Marie NDiaye]], winner of the 2009 [[Prix Goncourt]] (she spells their surname with two uppercase letters, whereas he spells it with one).
Ndiaye graduated from the {{Lang|fr|[[École normale supérieure de lettres et sciences humaines]]|italic=no}} in 1986, and obtained the [[Agrégation]] in history. Ndiaye obtained his PhD in history from the [[School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences]]. From 1991 to 1996, Ndiaye conducted research in the [[United States]] as preparation for a thesis about the history of the petrochemical corporation [[DuPont]]. As the son of a Senegalese father and a French mother, he has credited his time at the [[University of Virginia]] with exposing him to themes of [[racism in the United States]] that prompted his interest in seriously studying the topic.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Christophe |last=Boltanski |title=Noir sur le tard |date=24 February 2007 |journal=Libération |url=http://www.liberation.fr/portrait/010194909-noir-sur-le-tard |access-date=9 July 2018}}.</ref>
==Career in academia== Upon returning to France, Ndiaye became a lecturer at the [[School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences]]. The focus of his research agenda became understanding the history of racially discrimatory practices in France and in America.<ref>{{cite journal |language=fr |author=Ivan Jablonka |title=Les Noirs, une minorité française. Entretien avec Pap Ndiaye |journal=La vie des Idées |date=20 January 2009 |url=https://www.laviedesidees.fr/Les-Noirs-une-minorite-francaise.html |access-date=15 February 2020 }}</ref> He was one of the first researchers in France to compare the history of the African diaspora in France and in the United States. Together with Patrick Lozès, the future president of the [[Representative Council of France's Black Associations]], Ndiaye co-founded the Action Committee for the Promotion of Diversity in France.<ref>{{cite news |title=Le livre noir de Pap Ndiaye |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/informations/le-livre-noir-de-pap-ndiaye_722855.html |date=1 May 2008 |work=L'Express |last=Ceaux |first=Pascal |access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref>
In 2012, Ndiaye became a faculty member at [[Sciences Po]].<ref>{{cite web|language=fr |title=Ndiaye, Centre d'histoire de Sciences Po |date=29 October 2018 |url=http://chsp.sciences-po.fr/en/chercheur-permanent/ndiaye |access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref> He has been a member of the Centre d'études nord-américaines (Center for North American studies) and has been an editor of the journal ''[[L'Histoire]]''. He has also published pieces in the news media.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/politique/election-presidentielle-2012/20120418.OBS6489/tribune-pour-une-nouvelle-republique.html |title="Pour une nouvelle république" |language=fr |date=19 April 2012 |access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref>
In February 2021, Ndiaye was made director of the French national museum of immigration (the [[Palais de la Porte Dorée]], [[Cité nationale de l'histoire de l'immigration|Musée national de l'histoire de l'immigration]] and Aquarium tropical).<ref>{{Cite web|title=French Culture Ministry Communiqué de presse|url=https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Presse/Communiques-de-presse/Pap-Ndiaye-nomme-directeur-general-de-l-etablissement-public-du-Palais-de-la-Porte-Doree-Musee-national-de-l-histoire-de-l-immigration-et-Aquarium}}</ref>
==Political career== In May 2022, Ndiaye was designated the new [[Ministry of National Education (France)|Minister of National Education and Youth]] by President [[Emmanuel Macron]] in Prime Minister [[Élisabeth Borne]]'s government.<ref>{{cite web|last=Caulcutt|first=Clea|date=30 May 2022|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/france-culture-war-emmanuel-macron-government-woke-minister-pap-ndiaye-education-reform/|title=France's culture wars reignited after Macron appoints 'woke' minister|website=Politico Europe|access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> Ndiaye had previously been a critic of Macron, stating in 2019: "it is difficult to discern a policy, or even a consistent point of view".<ref>[https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/meritocratie-islamo-gauchisme-violences-policieres-pap-ndiaye-dans-le-texte-4248611 ""Méritocratie", "islamo-gauchisme", "violences policières " : Pap Ndiaye dans le texte"], Radio France (in French), 21 May 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref>
Ndiaye's surprise appointment came with widespread criticism from the far-right, [[Marine Le Pen]], [[Jordan Bardella]], and [[Éric Zemmour]], but also some [[Les Républicains|Republicans]].<ref>[https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-radio/8h30-fauvelle-dely/nomination-de-pap-ndiaye-elections-legislatives-le-8h30-franceinfo-de-jordan-bardella_5128480.html "Nomination de Pap Ndiaye, élections législatives... Le "8h30 franceinfo" de Jordan Bardella"], francetvinfo (in French), 24 May 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=21 May 2022|title=Pap Ndiaye à l'Éducation nationale : la droite fulmine, l'extrême gauche s'incline|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/pap-ndiaye-a-l-education-nationale-la-droite-fulmine-l-extreme-gauche-s-incline-20220521|last=Sugy|first=Paul|access-date=9 February 2026|website=LEFIGARO|language=fr}}</ref> The weekly ''[[Marianne (magazine)|Marianne]]'' presented him as "the importer of black studies in France" and called his positioning an "ambivalence".<ref name="Marianne">[https://www.marianne.net/politique/gouvernement/racisme-laicite-pensee-woke-ce-que-pense-vraiment-pap-ndiaye "Racisme, laïcité, pensée "woke" : ce que pense vraiment Pap Ndiaye"], ''[[Marianne (magazine)|Marianne]]'' (in French), 26 May 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref> In 2017, Ndiaye had comments on [[Societal racism|structural racism]] in France, explaining that according to him there is racism ''in'' the [[State (polity)|State]], which can be found in some institutions like [[National Police (France)|police]], but it's not a racism ''from'' the State<ref>[https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/multiculturalisme-decolonialisme-racisme-structurel-ces-querelles-que-reveille-la-nomination-de-pap-ndiaye-20220522 "Multiculturalisme, décolonialisme, racisme structurel: ces querelles que réveille la nomination de Pap Ndiaye"], ''[[Le Figaro]]'' (in French), 23 May 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=18 December 2017|title=Pap Ndiaye : "Il existe bien un racisme structurel en France"|language=fr|work=Le Monde.fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2017/12/18/pap-ndiaye-il-existe-bien-un-racisme-structurel-en-france_5231358_3224.html|access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Geay|first=Juliette|date=21 May 2022|title="Méritocratie", "islamo-gauchisme", "violences policières " : Pap Ndiaye dans le texte|url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/meritocratie-islamo-gauchisme-violences-policieres-pap-ndiaye-dans-le-texte-4248611|access-date=24 October 2022|website=France Inter|language=fr}}</ref> In a 2021 interview with ''[[Le Monde]]'', Ndiaye stated he did not experience racism growing up in France and only "realised that [he] was black" when he was 25 while studying in the United States.<ref name="Le Monde">[https://www.lemonde.fr/m-le-mag/article/2021/06/04/j-ai-un-role-civique-a-jouer-pap-ndiaye-un-historien-dans-l-arene_6082760_4500055.html "Immigration, colonisation, « islamo-gauchisme »… Pap Ndiaye, l’équilibriste"], ''[[Le Monde]]'', 4 June 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref>
A poll conducted towards 1002 persons in the late summer 2022 by CSA for [[CNews]] found that 62% of respondents (24% not at all, 38% rather not) did not fully trust Ndiaye to fulfil his duties as Education Minister.<ref name="BFM">[https://www.bfmtv.com/societe/education/62-des-francais-ne-font-pas-confiance-au-ministre-de-l-education-pap-ndiaye_AN-202209010208.html "62% des Français ne font pas confiance au ministre de l'Éducation Pap Ndiaye"], [[BFM TV]] (in French), 1 September 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sondage : 62 % des Français ne font pas confiance à Pap Ndiaye en tant que ministre de l'Education nationale|url=https://www.cnews.fr/france/2022-09-01/sondage-62-des-francais-ne-font-pas-confiance-pap-ndiaye-en-tant-que-ministre-de|last=Rajehi|first=Khalil|access-date=9 February 2026|website=CNEWS|date=1 September 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
The head of the educational trade union ([[Federation of General Unions of National Education|SGEN-CFDT]]), Catherine Nave-Bekhti,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lecherbonnier|first1=Sylvie|last2=Morin|first2=Violaine|newspaper=Le Monde|date=20 July 2023|title=Pap Ndiaye quitte le gouvernement, la faillite d'un symbole|language=fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2023/07/20/pap-ndiaye-quitte-le-gouvernement-la-faillite-d-un-symbole_6182812_823448.html|access-date=9 February 2026}}</ref> as well as educational specialist [[Philippe Meirieu]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Meireiu|first=Philippe|newspaper=Le Monde|date=21 July 2023|title=Éducation: « L'extrême droite a obtenu le départ de Pap Ndiaye du gouvernement »|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2023/07/21/l-extreme-droite-a-obtenu-le-depart-de-pap-ndiaye_6182837_3232.html|access-date=9 February 2026}}</ref> and former education minister [[Najat Vallaud-Belkacem]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Vallaud-Belkacem|first=Najat|newspaper=Le Monde|date=21 July 2023|title=Najat Vallaud-Belkacem : « Ce n'est pas pour ce qu'il a fait ou pas fait que Pap Ndiaye quitte son ministère, c'est pour ce qu'il représente »|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2023/07/21/najat-vallaud-belkacem-ce-n-est-pas-pour-ce-qu-il-a-fait-ou-pas-fait-que-pap-ndiaye-quitte-son-ministere-c-est-pour-ce-qu-il-represente_6182869_3232.html|language=fr|access-date=9 February 2026}}</ref> suggested that Pap Ndiaye lost his position as Education Minister on 20 July in part due to his reply the week before to the constant criticism from [[CNews]] and [[Europe 1]], in which he said that these two outlets, owned by billionaire [[Vincent Bolloré]], had become far-right news outlets.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Laemle|first1=Brice|last2=Gatinois|first2=Claire|last3=Trippenbach|first3=Ivanne|newspaper=Le Monde|date=12 July 2023|title=Dans la polémique entre Pap Ndiaye et les médias de Vincent Bolloré, le gouvernement reste silencieux|language=fr|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2023/07/12/le-gouvernement-silencieux-dans-le-face-a-face-entre-pap-ndiaye-et-les-medias-de-vincent-bollore_6181573_823448.html|access-date=9 February 2026}}</ref>
==Selected works== *''Du nylon et des bombes: DuPont de Nemours, le marché et l'État américain'' (Of nylon and bombs: Dupont de Nemours, the market and the American state), 2001 *''La Condition noire'' (The Black condition), 2008 *''Les Noirs américains : en marche pour l'égalité'' (Black Americans: On the march for equality), 2009 * ''[https://www.fayard.fr/histoire-de-chicago-9782213642550 Histoire de Chicago] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705003411/https://www.fayard.fr/histoire-de-chicago-9782213642550 |date=5 July 2018 }}'', Paris, Fayard, 2013 (avec Andrew Diamond) *''Les Noirs américains: De l'esclavage à Black Lives Matter'', 2021
==Selected awards== *Jean-Michel Gaillard Award (2008)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://old.rdv-histoire.com/-Prix-Jean-Michel-Gaillard,828-.html |title=Jean-Michel Gaillard |year=2013 |publisher=La rendezvous de l'histoire |access-date=15 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726153616/http://old.rdv-histoire.com/-Prix-Jean-Michel-Gaillard,828-.html |archive-date=26 July 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *Knight of the [[Legion of Honour]] (2021)
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ndiaye, Pap}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Antony, Hauts-de-Seine]] [[Category:French people of Senegalese descent]] [[Category:20th-century French historians]] [[Category:21st-century French historians]] [[Category:Lycée Lakanal alumni]] [[Category:Lycée Henri-IV alumni]] [[Category:University of Virginia alumni]] [[Category:Academic staff of Sciences Po]] [[Category:School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences alumni]] [[Category:Academic staff of the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences]] [[Category:Ministers of national education of France]] [[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]] [[Category:Black French politicians]] [[Category:Members of the Borne government]] [[Category:French recipients of the Legion of Honour]]