This collection encompasses decades of Armand Chartier’s work as a professor and historian, as well as certain aspects of his personal life. His education is well represented through records regarding his years at École Saint-Antoine, Séminaire de Joliette, and Assumption College (now University). Additional personal records include his involvement with various conferences, correspondence, and records related to his work as a professor of French at the University of Rhode Island.
A second series highlights Chartier’s involvement, or interest, in both Franco-American and French-Canadian organizations. These records are a mix of ephemera, financial reports, meeting minutes, etc. Organizations most heavily represented include: l’Assemblée des Franco-Américains, le Comité de Vie Franco-Américaine, le Cotillon, Franco-American War Veterans, les Francs-Tireurs, la Ligue des Présidents, and la Société Historique Franco-Américaine.
The bulk of the Armand Chartier Papers focuses on his scholarly works. Various projects include: French New Bedford, Histoire des Franco-Américains de la Nouvelle Angleterre, 1775-1900, Mémorial des Franco-Américains, and Histoire de la littérature franco-américaine.
French New Bedford: A project from c. 2008-2010, focused on the history of the Franco-Americans of New Bedford, MA.
Histoire des Franco-Américains de la Nouvelle Angleterre, 1775-1900 and Mémorial des Franco-Américains, a commemoration of French North America, are two projects that are interwoven. The first was published in 1991, with the translation published in 1999. Mémorial was built off of this work, except it was to be international in scope. Although it was never completed, the research and notes for both works are extensive, and the drafts for the former are included.
Histoire de la littérature franco-américaine is a catch-all title for a variety of smaller articles and projects that Chartier worked on over the years, all dealing with Franco-American literature in a broad sense. Once again, there is extensive research, as well as drafts and final copies of the various articles.
There are several smaller projects including book reviews, a Dictionnaire de l’Amérique française, Legacy: a biography of Rev. Armand “Spike” Morissette, O.M.I, an oral history project, a Louis Jobin project, as well as Chartier’s unfinished memoir and novel.
Lastly, there are records related to general French in North America scholarship, which includes such topics as bilingual education, ethnic studies, Franco-American studies, French-Canadian studies, and the National Materials Development Center.
Finding Aid:
The Armand Chartier Collection of Franco-American History includes archival documents either collected by, or donated to, Mr. Chartier. These include scrapbooks, photographs, diplomas, ephemera, and much much more. The items are mainly from Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts.
This collection is currently undergoing processing.
Appointments recommended.
The French Institute follows the academic calendar of Assumption University. Exceptions to our regular hours may be found here.
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Kate Bradley
Librarian/Archivist of the French Institute
508-767-7495
For reasons of preservation, French Institute collection materials do not circulate; however, non-rare materials are allowed to circulate through the d’Alzon Library or inter-library loan with the director’s permission.
It should be noted that the Institute’s collection includes a number of Franco-American newspapers from the New England region. Most consist of bound copies and nearly all have been microfilmed. To preserve the bound volumes, the Institute encourages scholars to consult the microfilm copies whenever they are available, for example, at the American Antiquarian Society or the Boston Public Library.
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