The Acadian Archives, located on the University of Maine at Fort Kent campus, will host its annual Acadian History Lecture Series on February 13th and run each Thursday at 6 p.m. for five weeks.
The entire series will be available virtually through Zoom. These talks will cover about 400 years of Acadian history, from the beginnings of French communities to women’s experiences of displacement to the cultural aftermath of the Congrès mondial acadien.
The upcoming edition will feature experts who study various aspects of Acadian history and culture, including Andrew Beaupre, curator of archeological collections at the Maine State Museum; André-Carl Vachon, author of many works of Acadian history; Anne Marie Lane Jonah, a Nova Scotia-based historian for Parks Canada; Colby Gaudet, cultural historian and recent graduate of Concordia University; and Christina Keppie, director of the Center for Canadian-American Studies at Western Washington University.
“This will be the fourth edition in this virtual format,” explains Patrick Lacroix, Director of the Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes. “Every year we discover new interest in the Acadian story. In 2024, we had attendees from 21 states and five Canadian provinces. I think that speaks to our presenters’ engaging research, but also to attendees’ deeply felt connection to their past and to the larger Acadian community. We are pleased to fulfill our educational mission and raise awareness about Acadian culture.”
As in past years, the $25 registration fee covers all five talks.
Register online at the Acadian Archives website.
For more information, please contact the Acadian Archives at (207) 834-7535 or by e-mail at acadian@maine.edu.