Fulbert Youlou (1917-1972) was a Congolese priest who became a political leader and rose to the presidency of the Republic of the Congo.

Fulbert Youlou was born on July 9, 1917, near Brazzaville, a member of the Balali tribe, largest of the three major subgroups of the Bakongo people. He studied for the priesthood and was ordained on his thirty-second birthday, becoming a parish priest in Brazzaville in 1949. His relations with his superiors were stormy, and his growing interest for politics led to disciplinary action against him. By the end of 1955, the diminutive priest had made up his mind to enter politics on a full-time basis, although he continued to wear priestly garments long after he had been enjoined from performing any pastoral duties.

Prior to 1956, politics in the (then) French Congo had been monopolized by Félix Tchicaya's Parti Progressiste Congolais (PPC), based in Pointe Noire and the...