6 February 1937

The Sounds of Islam

La Charte Tunisienne is the organ of the Tunisian independence movement, led by Habib Bourguiba (1903-2000). On 6 February 1937 La Charte complains about the 'ridiculous suspicion' of French customs officers about all imports from Egypt. It was already known that the import of ideological Islamic publications was not allowed. But now the customs officers put up a gramophone between the green tea and bales of rice, and are listening to all records that come from the Middle East. And if customs recognizes a word like 'fatherland' or 'victim' in a song, the record is prohibited, whatever the subject may be.
Tunisia became independent in 1956 and Bourguiba was its first president.

See also:

•  Search IISH collections and databases for 'Habib Bourguiba'

Today in the Biographies Dutch Labour Movement