Félicien Challaye


Félicien Challaye was a French philosopher and human rights activist.

Early life

Félicien Challaye was born on 1 November 1875 in Lyon, France. He earned the agrégation in Philosophy in 1897.

Career

Challaye was a high school teacher of philosophy in Paris from 1903 to 1937. He served as Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza's secretary on his 1905 trip to the Congo. Three years later, in 1908, he founded a human rights organization for the indigenous people of the Congo. He subsequently served as the vice president of the Human Rights League.
Challaye served in World War I, and he was wounded in combat in 1915. After the war, he became a staunch pacifist. By 1931, he suggested he preferred peace to war, even if France had to be invaded by Germany.
Challaye was the author of many books on philosophy. He also published children's books under the pseudonym of Robert Fougère.

Death and legacy

Challaye died on 26 April 1967 in Paris, France. The rue Félicien Challaye in Tunis, Tunisia was named in his honor.

Works