The funeral of Mrs. Melanise Larocque, 26 Broadway, was held from the home this morning [February 3, 1936] followed by solemn requiem high mass in St. George’s church. Rev. George Gagnon was celebrant, Rev. Elzear Larochelle deacon, and Rev. Albert Paquette sub-deacon. A delegation from the St. Anne Sodality of the church attended. Bearers were […]
Continue readingCategory: Franco-American Women
The Vermont Abortion Cases (1858-1878)
Lucina Young. Olive Ash. Leafy Brown. Lydia Chase Cook. Mattie Spaulding. Harriet Titus Gaudette. Eliza McMahon. Caroline Bettis. Undoubtedly, some of them wished to be forgotten, their lives and tragic deaths forever passing from human memory. The history I offer here may therefore be, in Voltaire’s words, “a pack of tricks that we play upon […]
Continue readingNew Frontiers in Franco-American History
Although there is ample room for concern about the state of Franco-American culture in the U.S. Northeast, we can take (some) solace in the sustained pace of research on—and the level of interest in—Franco-American history. New works have shown that we need not envy the research endeavors of the 1980s and 1990s that led to […]
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 readingReview: Rocheleau Rouleau, Heritage of Peace
Book Review Corinne Rocheleau Rouleau and Louise Lind (editor), Heritage of Peace – Land of Hope and Glory. Cumberland, R.I.: Jemtech, 1996. In Heritage of Peace, we may have one of those rare cases where the author is more interesting than her subject. That author, Corinne Rocheleau Rouleau (henceforth Rocheleau to avoid confusing her with […]
Continue readingFranco-American Women as Political Actors, 1890-1920
This year we mark the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, which secured American women’s right to vote across the country. Beginning in the West, some states had begun to admit female suffrage in the late nineteenth century. Only gradually did the notion of equal political rights between men and women gain traction in the Northeast—and […]
Continue readingFranco-American History in Ten Documents, Part II
See the first installment on important Franco-American documents here. A Man and His Dream (1909) Félix Albert had a tale to tell—with some false modesty, his own. In the early twentieth century, after a turbulent life, he had someone, perhaps a local priest, write down his experience as an immigrant and a man of many […]
Continue readingWomen’s History Month: The Franco-American Press
Accessing the historical experience of Franco-American women is not an instantly easy task, at least if we rely on written records. Many types of documents were, at their inception, purposefully gendered. The cult of domesticity, limited access to education, and entrenched barriers in the shaping of social narratives combined to conceal women’s lives. In addition, […]
Continue readingThe Franco-American Pantheon
Last week’s blog post quoted Grégoire Chabot on a hypothetical Franco-American “hall of fame.” Chabot seemed to find few worthy models. Yet, surely, if Francos are to recognize the accomplishments of their community, they ought to find important and influential figures in their past. What famous individuals has the community produced? Who are its leading […]
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