French Connections/franconnexions Conference University of Vermont, March 20, 2017
International Francophonie Day
— A Conference examining the historical, cultural and economic contributions of French Canadians from Québec into Vermont and New England.
Early bird registration ends Jan. 20 (registration reduced to $30).
Conference to be followed by International flag raising ceremony at City Hall to mark the Francophonie
About the Event: Between 1830 and 1930, close to one million immigrants from Québec poured into Vermont and New England, populating towns and villages, starting new businesses and farms. While many of these new immigrants settled closer to the border, others spread throughout Vermont and into New England. The influence of these new settlers on the state and region was vast, from politics to culture, to the economy.
In three panels we examine this story, asking these fundamental questions:
Past: How and why was Vermont and New England populated by so many French Canadians in the 19th-early twentieth centuries? When, how and why did this massive influx assimilate?
Present: How do cross-border connections with Québec, in tourism and in trade, continue to shape the culture and economy of Northern New England?
Future: How does the French Canadian wave of immigration relate to current immigration trends? What can we learn from the past as we think about the future?
For more information contact Richard Watts