The Franco-American Collection maintains a wide variety of oral history interviews conducted with members of the local Franco-American community. Interview dates range between the 1970s and the present. Subjects include: childhood, music, religion, wartime, labor, business, sports, language and more.
Also included in this section are lectures given at the Franco-American Collection about Franco-American scholarship and identity.
These audio and video recordings are provided for research and educational purposes only. No copying of recordings or transcripts is allowed. Permission is required for publication and dissemination purposes.
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Gerard Dennison Oral History
Gerard Dennison and Anna Faherty
In this recorded interview from January, 2025, Gerard Dennison talks about growing up Franco in Auburn, school, sports, his 50 + year career in public service, and more!
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Lou Giard Oral History
Lou Giard and Anna Faherty
Transcription of an oral history interview with Lou Giard. No recording was made, his words were transcribed as he answered the prepared questions. This interview was part of the Holy Cross Memories oral history project, 2025. Lou discusses his childhood, experiences at Holy Cross school, his work life and spirituality.
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St. Louis Church and Its Bells
Gerard Dennison and Androscoggin Historical Society
In this article for the Androscoggin Historical Society's Fall 2024 newsletter, Gerard Dennison writes about the history of St. Louis parish, church and bells, detailing the importance of the church to the Franco-American community and to his family in particular.
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Louis Levesque, 1813-1890
Don Levesque and Le Forum Journal
In this piece featured in Le Forum Volume 45 issue 1 & 2, pages 10-12, in both French and English, Don Levesque details the life of his great-grandfather, who left Canada for Maine in 1840. This family story may inspire your own research into family history and genealogy.
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Maine Franco-Americans will miss the talented Michael Parent
Juliana L'Heureux
An obituary for Franco-American storyteller, performer, and writer Michael Parent, who passed away on May 5th, 2023. This obituary appeared in the Bangor Daily News on May 18th, 2023, and is written by Juliana L'Heureux.
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Dana Bourgeois Oral History
Dana Bourgeois
Interview with Dana Bourgeois of Bourgeois Guitars. Dana discusses the growth and expansion of his Lewiston business and his career trajectory as a guitar maker. Interview conducted by Anna Faherty and Cecile Thornton in Fall 2022.
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Norm Marcotte & Larry Charest Bates Fabriques Oral History
Anna Faherty
In Fall 2022, Anna Faherty interviewed Norm Marcotte and Larry Charest about their respective fathers hockey careers. Both Ray Marcotte and Larry Charest Sr. played on the award-winning Bates Fabriques Hockey team. An edited version of this interview was aired on our podcast "Franco-American Pathways in April 2023.
Preferred Citation:
Norm Marcotte & Larry Charest Bates Fabriques Oral History, Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries.
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William & Richard L'Heureux Oral Histories
Juliana L'Heureux
Interview with Navy Veterans William P. L'Heureux and Richard J. L'Heureux, conducted by Juliana L'Heureux, Richard's wife. The interview covers William's service in WWII and a brief description of Richard's service in Vietnam.
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Colonel Donald Albert Dubay USA-Ret., a short autobiography
Donald A. Dubay
An autobiographical narrative by Donald A. Dubay, about his childhood in Maine, and career in the US Army.
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George Remy Oral History
Franco-American Collection
An oral history given by George Remy, a resident of Gorham, Maine, conducted by Anna Faherty on October 25th, 2021.
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Paul Newman’s visit and other warm memories of a former grocery bag boy
Neal Goulet
Neal Goulet, a journalist and and public relations professional, writes in this blog post about his time as a grocery bag boy at Bonneau Market in Lewiston.
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Judge John Beliveau Oral History
Juliana L'Heureux
Juliana L'Heureux interviews Judge John Beliveau on September 28, 2021 Transcript included.
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William L'Heureux Oral History
Mary Rice-Defosse and Juliana L'Heureux
Interview in French and English with William L'Heureux, conducted by Mary Rice-Defosse (in French) and Juliana L'Heureux, William's sister-in-law (in English). One video is in French, and 34:31 in duration, and the other is in English, with a duration of 14:26.
Preferred Citation:
William L'Heureux Oral History, Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Libraries.
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Notre Pain Quotidien: Franco-American Entrepreneurs Sustaining Community
Anna Faherty, Mary T. Rice-DeFosse PhD, and Doris Bonneau
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Jean Caron Interview
Juliana L’Heureux
Jean Caron, b- 1933, in Brunswick, oral history recorded on September 8, 2020 in Topsham, Maine. She was a registered nurse and the only Franco-American to hold the position of Executive Director of the Maine State Board of Nursing (MSBON).
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Betty Olson Interview with Doris Bonneau
Doris Bonneau
Doris Bonneau interview with Betty Olson at the Franco-American Collection in Lewiston, Maine.
Duration: 00:20:45
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“I Remember…” Memoirs
Simone Lacroix Goulet and Carol Landry
The recollections of Simone Lacroix Goulet, as told to her daughter, Carol Landry. Simone discusses her parents and grandparents, growing up in the 1920s, her education, working in shoe shops, her marriage, and more.
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Gerard Lamontagne Oral History
Juliana L’Heureux
Gerard Lamontagne, 1926-2021, a World War II Franco-American veteran, native of Sanford, Maine, served during the Aleutian Islands campaign, oral history recorded in May 2019 in Scarborough, Maine.
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Archives Richness: A Lecture by Douglas Rooks
Douglas Rooks
A lecture given by author Douglas Rooks at the Franco-American Collection on November 13, 2018. Rooks shares his techniques, strategies and intrigues of doing research at the Franco-American Archives.
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À LA MAISON
Lorraine Dutile Masure
An abstract of Growing Up Franco-American, detailing the general “at-home” culture enjoyed by the author in Sanford, Maine and by many far-reaching New England Québécois immigrant families — especially across the years 1940s and 1950s.
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Rhea Côté Robbins Lecture: Franco-American Gender Roles
Rhea Côté Robbins
The lecture Franco-American Gender Roles: Motherhood and more was delivered at the University of Southern Maine's Franco-American Collection, in Lewiston, Maine, on April 17, 2014. This lecture was part of the Franco-American Collection's spring lecture series for that year.
Rhea Côté Robbins is the founder and director of the Franco-American Women's Institute (FAWI).
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Interview with Georgette Menealy
Josh Gauthier
Josh Gauthier interviewing Georgette Menealy, born 1929.
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James Fife Oral History
James Myall
James Myall interviewing James Fife, born September 15, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts.
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Interview with Carol Beal Couture
The Franco-American Collection
On Aurel "Al" "Shiner" Couture, Carol's husband. Interview recorded by James Myall at Couture's home in Glastonbury, CT.
