Free Virtual Valley Talks Conclude With Examination of the French-Canadian Immigrant Experience
WOONSOCKET, R.I. – Valley Talks, a series of biweekly historical lectures presented by the Museum of Work & Culture, a division of the Rhode Island Historical Society, conclude Sunday, March 6, at 1 p.m. on Zoom.
The final Valley Talk will feature scholar Patrick Lacroix presenting his talk “In the Beginning: Origins of the French-Canadian Exodus, 1826-1861.”
The American immigration story is typically told in terms of “pull” and “push” factors. It is easy to lose sight of the connective tissue that had to develop between Canadian and American communities to make large-scale emigration from Quebec possible. That interconnectedness was not a product of the 1860s; it developed in overlapping phases in the first half of the 19th century. It was the product of infrastructure projects, which accelerated information flows and laid the basis for cross-border kinship networks. This talk explores such early phases of development to highlight the truly impressive scale of French-Canadian mobility prior to the U.S. Civil War.
Individuals can register for the talk by visiting: https://bit.ly/3s1bDLX
A native of Cowansville, Quebec, Patrick Lacroix holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Hampshire. He has taught at Phillips Exeter Academy and at liberal arts colleges in Canada. He served as test center manager for Pearson in Halifax before taking on his current responsibilities as director of Acadian Archives at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Dr. Lacroix is the author of John F. Kennedy and the Politics of Faith and “Tout nous serait possible”: Une histoire politique des Franco-Américains, 1874-1945. His research on Franco-Americans has notably appeared in the Catholic Historical Review, Vermont History and the American Review of Canadian Studies.
Valley Talks is a part of the Rhode Island Historical Society’s Bicentennial Celebrations sponsored by Amica Insurance.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
The Rhode Island Historical Society, the state’s oldest and only statewide historical organization, is dedicated to honoring, interpreting and sharing Rhode Island’s past to enrich the present and inspire the future. Founded in 1822, the RIHS is an advocate for history as a means to develop empathy and 21st -century skills, using its historical materials and knowledge to explore topics of timeless relevance and public interest. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible public programming and educational opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through its four sites: the John Brown House Museum, the Museum of Work & Culture, the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center and the Aldrich House.
The headquarters of the Rhode Island Historical Society are located at 110 Benevolent Street, Providence, RI 02906. Information: (401) 331-8575.