À lire ce qui s’écrit sur les réseaux sociaux, bon nombre de Québécoises et de Québécois vivent un combat quotidien—une petite guerre amorcée à la fin du régime français et loin d’être achevée, une petite guerre qui anime tous les aspects de la vie publique du Québec. Entendons-nous : le fait français est minoritaire dans son […]
Continue readingCategory: Historical Memory
French New York
My earliest memories and only childhood memories of New York State are of peaks and valleys: a family trip to Whiteface Mountain and Ausable Chasm. Eventually I would see New York City, Jamestown, Little Falls, Troy, Whitehall, Ticonderoga… the list goes on (though Watkins Glen remains obstinately on the bucket list). Only recently did I […]
Continue readingDepopulation and Despair, 140 Years Ago
So declared Sir Richard Cartwright in the House of Commons in Ottawa exactly 140 years ago, February 29, 1884, while offering a vigorous response to the government’s proposed budget. Not that he knew any other kind of response: in the 1870s, Cartwright had emerged as one of the most outspoken and effective critics of John […]
Continue readingLesson Plan: Early Franco-American History
Regular readers have heard the refrain: there are many ways in which we can deepen our knowledge of Franco-American history, many paths we have yet to take in our field of research. That is not all, however. We can broaden and discuss; we must also seek out opportunities to disseminate our findings. Many teachers and […]
Continue readingBack-Page Americans: Clippings
In conversation with Claire-Marie Brisson of the North American Francophone Podcast, several years ago, I introduced the concept of “back-page Americans,” which applies to many historically marginalized groups. In the context of Franco-American history, the concept grows out of the seeming invisibility of French Canadians in the mainstream (i.e. non-ethnic) American press. In reality, immigrants […]
Continue readingMore Internet Resources on Franco-American History
Well-worn ruts are as attractive to researchers as they are to travelers. In other words, it can be difficult to break out of established narratives and look at historical issues from a new perspective. This isn’t to imply that old historical writing is bad historical writing, but historians seek to assert the relevance of the […]
Continue readingThe Lost Wor(l)ds of Franco-America
This post marks the fifth anniversary of this Franco-American history blog. Sincere thanks to everyone who has read, encouraged, and supported its research and reflections. The author delivered the following remarks as the opening lecture of the University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Scholars Symposium on April 26, 2022. The transcript appeared in the summer […]
Continue readingOne Story to Rule Them All
It’s clear. It’s compelling. It’s devastating. It’s a narrative. Whether personal, political, or historical, a narrative is a coherent, cohesive story that provides clear, if simplified, explanations and expresses specific values. As such, a narrative not only describes events, but often proposes a certain course of action. A narrative offers intellectual shortcuts: if you know […]
Continue readingFlashpoint: Fall River
October 25, 1881: one of the best-known dates in the history of New England Franco-Americans. It was on that day that community leaders appeared before Carroll D. Wright, a Massachusetts civil servant whose latest report had represented French-Canadian migrants as “the Chinese of the Eastern States.” Ferdinand Gagnon, Hugo Dubuque, and other “influencers” answered Wright’s […]
Continue readingBuilding Better History
It all starts with inconvenient, even provocative questions. If we believe that history truly matters—whatever our reason for saying so—we must surely agree that historical truth matters.[1] That truth is rarely tangible or instantly accessible. Our awareness and understanding of past events are molded by our memory, our values, and the natural limits of popular […]
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