From the early years of Franco-Americans' political involvement, community leaders dreamed of creating a monolithic voting bloc that could sway elections for either party. Those hopes were frequently disappointed. This presentation explores the issues and interests that fractured the Franco electorate and undermined ethnic cohesion. As we will see, splits within the community can be […]
Although most of their ancestors came to the United States from Québec, father and daughter Raymond A. Lambert and Megan D. Lambert St. Marie also trace their family tree to Acadians who were impacted by Le Grand Dérangement. In this presentation, Ray and Megan will provide insights into the history of the expulsion of the […]
Tribute to Jack Kerouac: 100 Years, Still Alive! Are you curious about Jack Kerouac’s francophone legacy and the French fact in the United States in the first half of the 20th century? The […]
When: Mar 23, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Register in advance for this meeting: https://maine.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwufuiqrD0oGtX5Fzim4gM86Uo7I6aRRDDs After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining […]
We at the Franco-American Centre at the University of Maine, Orono are excited to announce a new and innovative plan for our 2022 Rassemblement of Franco-American artists, writers, and other cultural workers. We originally planned a virtual gathering for this spring; perhaps you already registered for it. But with COVID case-numbers trending down and Zoom […]
Today known as "Les Filles à Marier" or "marriageable girls," roughly 260 Frenchwomen arrived in Québec before 1763, predating the arrival of the better-known Filles du Roi. Drawing on Ray Lambert's extensive genealogy research, he and his daughter Megan St. Marie will share a bit about their ancestors who were among this early group of […]
We have lots of fun events planned for our yearly gathering -- we hope you join us! All times in Eastern Standard Time. Zoom links and other information will be […]
Traditionally, the Franco American Center has hosted a three-day Rassemblement (Gathering) for writers, artists and creative thinkers in the month of April. I am writing to you today because I believe that this year’s opening event may be of interest to you. On Friday April 21, at 3:30 p.m. at the Franco American Centre on […]
4pm: Talk and concert (HYBRID) by Robert Sylvain: http://robertsylvain.com/ As the keeper of songs in his generation, Robert inherited his Mémère’s cherished notebook of old Acadian ballads, which he has painstakingly researched for their historical sources, found the original melodies, translated and arranged the songs to present to new audiences as proof that Acadian culture […]
In April 2023, Megan St. Marie and her father, Raymond Lambert, took a dream-come-true trip to France to visit places where their ancestors lived before the first of them emigrated to French Canada in the 17th and 18th centuries. Megan and Ray are delighted to share some their adventures in an online presentation hosted by […]
