Ange-Félix Patassé
The first democratically elected president of the Central African Republic, whose rule ended in rebellion and exile.
1937–2011 (age 74)·Central African politician·Birthday: January 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ange-Félix Patassé's political life traced the tragic arc of post-colonial Central African politics: from historic hope to violent upheaval. A longtime minister under the notorious Emperor Bokassa, he eventually broke with the regime and survived multiple exile periods. His 1993 election victory, facilitated by international pressure, was a landmark, marking the country's first multi-party democratic transition. Yet his presidency was quickly consumed by economic collapse, mutinies, and ethnic polarization. Patassé's reliance on foreign mercenaries and Libyan support eroded his legitimacy, while his power base narrowed. His rule ended not at the ballot box, but in a 2003 coup led by his former army chief, François Bozizé, forcing him into a final exile where he was convicted in absentia for crimes he always denied.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Ange-Félix was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ange-Félix Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Ange-Félix's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2011Died at 74
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
Key Achievements
- Became the first president of the Central African Republic chosen in a multi-party democratic election in 1993.
- Served as Prime Minister under Emperor Bokassa I in the 1970s before falling out of favor.
- Survived several army mutinies and coup attempts during his tumultuous presidency from 1993 to 2003.
- His election marked a brief period of democratic hope supported by United Nations electoral assistance.
Did You Know?
He was an agronomist by training, having studied in France and the then-Dutch colony of Suriname.
Patassé came from the northwest of the CAR, a different ethnic region than most previous leaders from the south.
After his ouster, he lived in exile in Togo and was tried in absentia by the CAR for various financial and human rights crimes.
His father was a chief in the northwestern Ouham-Pendé prefecture, giving him a strong regional political base.
“A nation is built with its own hands, not by foreign powers.”
