Date of Award
Fall 5-2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Degree Program
History
Department
History
Major Professor
Dupont, Robert
Second Advisor
Kennedy, Albert
Third Advisor
Chamberlain, Charles
Abstract
In 1968, in the midst of the Civil Rights Era, the Louisiana government created the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). During this period of heightened ethnic awareness, CODOFIL aimed to rectify the damage done by prior Louisiana legislation, which prohibited French language on public school grounds. In an effort to revitalize the French language in Louisiana, the organization hired teachers from foreign francophone countries and advocated for a curriculum rooted in Standard French. According to historians, many locals felt Louisiana-specific French dialects were once again rejected. Alongside these foreign teachers were teachers local to Louisiana. Utilizing interviews with Louisiana natives who became French teachers in the state, this paper aims to add to the narrative by presenting their discussion of the topic. The interviews consistently refute claims that local educators were opposed to CODOFIL’s hiring of foreign teachers. In addition, the interviews explore the strides these teachers made in revitalizing Louisiana French in spite of CODOFIL’s complicated founder, James Domengeaux.
Recommended Citation
Ducote, Natalie, "CODOFIL'S Ally: Local French Teachers in Louisiana" (2017). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2316.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2316
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.