"Defining the Creole Corridor" explores the historical, cultural, and social connections along the Mississippi River, from Quebec to New Orleans, focusing on the unique intersection of French, Creole, Native American, and African cultures.
This interdisciplinary event will delve into the rich heritage of the region, with particular emphasis on the role of communities like Sainte-Geneviève, Missouri, in shaping the cultural landscape of early French colonial America.
Through panel discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions, the colloquium will examine the lasting impact of the "Creole Corridor" on language, identity, and regional development.
Keynote speaker : Consul de France Yannick Tagand
Morning Session
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM | Opening Remarks
Ella Allen (WashU) and Lionel Cuillé (French Connexions center of excellence).
9:15 AM – 10:30 AM | Panel 1: Corridor Creole Culture
Moderator: Tili Boon Cuillé (WashU)
Jay Gitlin (Yale University): Coining the Corridor Creole
Michael S. Nassaney (Western Michigan University) & Erika K. Hartley (Western Michigan University): Probing the Gendered Dimensions of Creole Culture: Women’s Roles at Fort St. Joseph in Southwest Michigan
Thomas Croisez (European University Institute): Lost in Transition: Moral Climate and Spiritual Survival in the Illinois Country (1763-1773)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Coffee Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Panel 2: Collecting and Sharing Stories of Our Silenced Past
Moderator: Robinson Etienne (WashU)
Debra Downey (Independent scholar): The Story of Rodde Christi: Sainte Genevieve's Influence in Black American History.
Robert Englebert (University of Saskatchewan): Slavery and Mobility: Rethinking the French Creole Corridor
Maurice Tetne (WashU): Trauma and Francophone Antislavery Literature in 19th-Century Louisiana
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch Break (Buffet in Holmes Lounge).
Afternoon Session
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Panel 3: Creole Language, Literature, and Oral Traditions
Moderator: Maëlle Zemirline (WashU)
Stamos Metzidakis (WashU): Acadian Refugees and the Upper Creole Corridor
Violaine White (University of Missouri – St. Louis): Integrating the Franco-American Folklore into the French Curriculum
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Panel 4:
Interpreting the French (and) Creole History of the Ste. Geneviève Region: Roundtable and Q&A
Moderator: Geoff Giglierano, Executive Director, French Colonial America
Panelists: James Gass, Staff Historian, French Colonial America and Michael Weiler, President, Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Panel 5: Environment, Economy, and the Creole Corridor
Moderator: Joël Gabriel (WashU)
Patrick Allan Pospisek (Grand Valley State University): Mining the Upper Mississippi: French Creole Mineral Development in the Pays d’en Haut
Nate Marvin (University of Arkansas): Mapping Creole Arkansas: The People Behind the Placenames
Joseph Gagné (Archives nationales à Québec /BAnQ) : Des frères oubliés : la superposition de créolité et canadianité dans les archives du 18e siècle
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Book Exhibit at the Olin Library Special Book Collection, in presence of Consul de France Yannick Tagand.
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Holmes Lounge) | Reception and Cocktail and Keynote Address
Consul de France Yannick Tagand.
Saturday, April 26, 2025 (Optional Excursion): 9 AM-4 PM
Guided Visit to Ste. Geneviève National Historic Park
Exploring the historical Franco-Québécois heritage of Upper Louisiana through preserved 18th-century Creole architecture.
Free visit for WASHU students (Coach bus to Ste Genevieve/ Lunch/ Cost of Historical French Village)
This event is made possible by the French Connexions Franco-American center (WashU), a grant from the cultural services of the French Embassy, the financial support of the Romance Languages and Literatures dept (RLL) and Mrs Julie Kemper-Foyer.
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