Collection staff conduct original research on Franco-American topics. Below you will find examples of these studies.
Unauthorized distribution or publication of these studies is prohibited. Please submit a request if you would like to reprint or publish any of the studies listed below.
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Jigs, Reels, and “Realness”: An Investigation of Ideas of Authenticity and Tradition in New England French Canadian Music
Lowell Ruck
Jigs, Reels, and “Realness”: An Investigation of Ideas of Authenticity and Tradition in New England French Canadian Music is an Honors Paper for the Bowdoin College Department of Anthropology, presented by Lowell Ruck in 2021.
Abstract: Franco-American culture is increasingly recognized as an integral part of the heritage of Maine and New England, and has attracted growing academic attention in recent years. But while many scholars and cultural promoters focus on the French language in their work on this subject, few studies have considered the position of traditional music in Franco-American communities in the 21st century. This thesis examines French Canadian traditional music as it is played in New England and the ways in which musicians think about authenticity and tradition in their art. Using material from ethnographic interviews, it illuminates how musicians draw from individual, familial, and communal experiences and from past, present, and future conceptions of authentic tradition in their roles as cultural mediators. Ultimately, it suggests that players of French Canadian traditional music interact with this tradition in diverse ways, and that in doing so, they help to maintain the vibrancy of Franco-American cultural practices.
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French Canadian Heritage in New England
Emmanuel Kayembe PhD
Readings on French culture and history in Canada and the United States.
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Resources for Teachers of French in Maine
Emmanuel Kayembe PhD
An educational resource describing methods and resources for teaching the French language using traditional Franco-American songs. This guide was commissioned by the Maine Department of Education.
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![Maine's Franco-American Population Centers [Map] by James Myall](https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/fac-original-research/1002/thumbnail.jpg "Maine's Franco-American Population Centers [Map] by James Myall")
Maine's Franco-American Population Centers [Map]
James Myall
Data gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau for its “American Community Survey” forms the background for this research. Click on each pin for details about the Franco-American population of each town. Powered by Google Maps.
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Franco-Americans in Maine Report
James Myall
In the 2012 Legislative Session, the State of Maine mandated the creation of a task force to examine the status of Maine's Franco-American populations.
Collection Coordinator James Myall assisted the Task Force on Franco-Americans, presenting statistical information on Franco-Americans gathered from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Myall's findings dispelled several preconceptions of Franco-Americans that are based on historical facts that are no longer true. For example, Francos are no more likely to work in manufacturing jobs than non-Francos. Nor are their families significantly larger than those of non-Francos. However, the historic effects of discrimination and a lack of confidence in Maine's largest ethnic group are reflected in lower rates of college attainment among Franco-Americans in Maine.
The report also suggested that traditional elements of Franco identity, such as the French language, and the Catholic church, are in decline.
Myall produced two reports for the task force:
Franco-Americans in Maine (sent to the task force in September 2012) examines the Franco-American population in Maine and identifies socio-economic trends.
Franco-Americans in New England (sent to the task force in October 2012) compares the status of Maine's Franco-American population to that of other New England states.
Read more about the report and the task force at the Bangor Daily News Article.
Read the final report of the task force, including its recommendations for the legislature.
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Franco-Americans in New England Report
James Myall
In the 2012 Legislative Session, the State of Maine mandated the creation of a task force to examine the status of Maine's Franco-American populations.
Collection Coordinator James Myall assisted the Task Force on Franco-Americans, presenting statistical information on Franco-Americans gathered from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Myall's findings dispelled several preconceptions of Franco-Americans that are based on historical facts that are no longer true. For example, Francos are no more likely to work in manufacturing jobs than non-Francos. Nor are their families significantly larger than those of non-Francos. However, the historic effects of discrimination and a lack of confidence in Maine's largest ethnic group are reflected in lower rates of college attainment among Franco-Americans in Maine.
The report also suggested that traditional elements of Franco identity, such as the French language, and the Catholic church, are in decline.
Myall produced two reports for the task force:
Franco-Americans in Maine (sent to the task force in September 2012) examines the Franco-American population in Maine and identifies socio-economic trends.
Franco-Americans in New England (sent to the task force in October 2012) compares the status of Maine's Franco-American population to that of other New England states.
Read more about the report and the task force at the Bangor Daily News Article.
Read the final report of the task force, including its recommendations for the legislature.
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Entrepreneurs: Franco-American Businesses of Lewiston and Auburn
James Myall
A showcase of material on Franco-American businesses in Lewiston-Auburn. Presented to Paul LePage in 2011 on the occasion of his election as Maine's first Franco-American governor.
