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Jefferson Parish Historical Society

Event Type: Adults
Age Group(s): Adults
Date: 1/25/2018
Start Time: 7:00 PM
End Time: 8:30 PM
Description:
 Sydney P. Bellard discusses his new book, A Cajun in France: Journeys to Assimilation at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

The talk and book signing occurs as part of the monthly meeting of the Jefferson Parish Historical Society. It is free of charge and is open to the public. There is no registration.

Sidney "Pierre" Bellard’s first language is Cajun French, and he was the first in his family to be a high school and college graduate. His Cajun parents spoke only broken English and could only write their names. Their ancestors had been in America well before there was a United States or the state of Louisiana. While most subsequent immigrants to America achieved assimilation within two generations, Bellard’s paternal family line, due to isolation and a sharecropper lifestyle, took generations before he achieved assimilation in the 1960s.

Bellard went on to assimilate in three different cultures where he encountered language barriers, lack of family educational values, poverty, discrimination and the chains of insecurity. Eventually, he developed two major drives that were antithetical to each other – two drives he did not become fully aware of until the writing of this book. The first was to master the English language and the second was to achieve literacy in standard French.

Except for Native Americans, everyone in the New World is an immigrant or descendant of immigrants. Bellard says it is his desire that readers become more aware of their heritage and respect the difficult transitions their ancestors endured to achieve the American dream and make their lives, as they know it, possible. Also, the reader is invited to discover France and its people through the author's experiences and impressions – experiences that have enriched his life immeasurably.

Sidney P. Bellard is a retired educator whose career included teaching European history, civics, English, geography, sociology, French, and adult literacy. Additionally, he was a high school vice principal and counselor in a private school and director of adult education programs in the public school sector. He has chaired state and national conventions and made state and national presentations on the topics of adult literacy and convention planning. He has also served on state and national literacy boards of directors.

For more information regarding this event, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at (504) 889-8143 or wcsmith@jplibrary.net.

Library: East Bank Regional Library    Map
Location: Jefferson Room
Contact: Chris Smith
Contact Number: 504-889-8143
Presenter: Chris Smith