Annual Celebration

Sunday, May 17, 2026
3:00 – 5:00

Atlantic Works Conference Center
57 Charter Oak Ave.
Hartford, CT  06106

Venez nombreux à notre Célébration Annuelle de l’Alliance Française de Hartford.

Come learn about the history and diaspora of French Canadians and Acadians.  Jeanne Douillard will be our guest of honor at the Alliance Française Annual Celebration on Sunday, May 17 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.   The title of her lecture will be “Silent Presence: The French in New England.”   She will include music as part of her presentation.

For more than 25 years, Jeanne Douillard has probed the history of the French in the Americas. An independent scholar, she began by researching her own family genealogy and discovered she had Québecois, Acadiens, Algonquin and English roots.  She wanted to find out more about these people. Her passion led her to delve deeply into the quagmire of conflicting historiographies.  English, French and American historians of the past offered up irreconcilable views of La Nouvelle France [New France] and its people.  She was intrigued. What is the truth and why have the French in particular been such a silent presence in New England?

She published her book, I Remember: Je Me Souviens… in 2015 and began giving presentations throughout New England. Entitled Silent Presence – The French in New England, she shares her personal story intertwined with the historical story of the Québecois and Acadiens in the Americas.  It is a compelling tale of generational trauma; however, she provides a very hopeful outcome.  In her talk she says: “As Jennifer Lee, a Native American storyteller says: ‘To know what happened can empower and inform you.’ Madame Douillard concurs.

Our president will introduce the members of the AF Board of Directors.  After the lecture, there will be a light dinner and French-Canadian themed desserts.  Feel free to bring wine.