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Alcée Fortier (June 5, 1856 – February 14, 1914) was a renowned Professor of
Romance Languages The Romance languages, sometimes referred to as Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages, are the various modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages in the Indo-European language ...
at
Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
. In the late 19th and early 20th century, he published numerous works on language, literature, Louisiana history and folklore,
Louisiana Creole Louisiana Creole ( lou, Kréyòl Lalwizyàn, links=no) is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the state of Louisiana. It is spoken today by people who may racially identify as White, Black, mixed, and N ...
languages, and personal reminiscence. He had French Creole ancestry dating to the colonial period. He became president of the
Modern Language Association The Modern Language Association of America, often referred to as the Modern Language Association (MLA), is widely considered the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature. The MLA aims to "st ...
and the Louisiana Historical Society, was appointed to the State Board of Education, and was active in the
American Folklore Society The American Folklore Society (AFS) is the US-based professional association for folklorists, with members from the US, Canada, and around the world, which aims to encourage research, aid in disseminating that research, promote the responsible ...
and the New Orleans Academy of Sciences.


Early life and education

Fortier was born in St. James Parish, on Petit Versailles Plantation, which was owned by his maternal grandfather
Valcour Aime François-Gabriel "Valcour" Aime (1797–1867) was a slave owner, sugar planter, philanthropist, and pioneer in the large-scale refining of sugar. Known as the "Louis XIV of Louisiana," he was reputedly the wealthiest person in the South. Aime ow ...
and had long been cultivated for sugar cane. Alcée Fortier was the son of Florent-Louis Fortier and Marie-Edwige Aime. His father and grandfathers were
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...
planters of French Creole ancestry. The Fortier family had been in the Louisiana territory since the early 18th century, which it was a French colony. The families were prominent in the social and political life of the parish and the state. Fortier was a child when the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
broke out. His family suffered a loss in fortune following the war, losing the property value of their slaves and struggling to adapt to a free labor market in a period of agricultural decline. Fortier completed classes at the classical school of A.V. Romain in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
and entered the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
. Serious illness prevented him from completing his studies there. Fortier returned to New Orleans and
read law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under t ...
, then started working as a clerk.


Career

Fortier taught
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
in the city high school for a time. He was hired as principal in the preparatory department of the University of Louisiana. In 1880 Fortier was elected professor of French in the University of Louisiana. He was reelected when it became
Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...
. He worked as a Professor of
Romance Language The Romance languages, sometimes referred to as Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages, are the various modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages in the Indo-European language ...
s there his entire career. In addition to teaching European languages, he expanded his studies to include
Louisiana Creole Louisiana Creole ( lou, Kréyòl Lalwizyàn, links=no) is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the state of Louisiana. It is spoken today by people who may racially identify as White, Black, mixed, and N ...
,
Acadian French Acadian French (french: français acadien, acadjonne) is a variety of French spoken by Acadians, mostly in the region of Acadia, Canada. Acadian French has 7 regional accents, including chiac and brayon. Phonology Since there was relatively li ...
, and the Louisiana folklore of Acadians and African-American
freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom ...
. Fortier was a prolific author, publishing a range of studies on the French literature of Louisiana and France; dialect studies of Louisiana Creoles, Acadians and
Isleños Isleños (Spanish: ) are the inhabitants of the Canary Islands, and by extension the descendants of Canarian settlers and immigrants to present-day Louisiana, Texas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the ...
; and
Louisiana Creole Louisiana Creole ( lou, Kréyòl Lalwizyàn, links=no) is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the state of Louisiana. It is spoken today by people who may racially identify as White, Black, mixed, and N ...
folk tales translated into English. In 1903 he published a four-volume history of Louisiana that was well reviewed by the ''New York Times''. He was a contributor to the ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. He was also active in a range of new local, state, and national professional organizations. He was president of the Louisiana Historical Society (founded 1835) and the national
Modern Language Association The Modern Language Association of America, often referred to as the Modern Language Association (MLA), is widely considered the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature. The MLA aims to "st ...
(founded 1883). He was appointed to the State Board of Education. In addition, he was active in the New Orleans Academy of Sciences (founded 1859) and
American Folklore Society The American Folklore Society (AFS) is the US-based professional association for folklorists, with members from the US, Canada, and around the world, which aims to encourage research, aid in disseminating that research, promote the responsible ...
(founded 1888).


Marriage and family

On October 22, 1881, Fortier married Marie Lanauze, daughter of Adolphe Lanauze and Augustine Henriette Ferrand. They had eight children. Her father Adolphe Lanauze was a native of France who had immigrated to New Orleans. He was a hardware merchant and the first commercial tenant in the
Pontalba Buildings The Pontalba Buildings form two sides of Jackson Square in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. They are matching red-brick, one-block-long, four‑story buildings built between 1849–1851 by the Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba. ...
. Today, his former shop houses the 1850 Museum gift shop. Alcée Fortier died at his home in New Orleans on February 14, 1914.


Works

Books * ''Sept Grand Auteurs du XIXme Siècle'' * ''Histoire de la Littérature Française'' * ''Louisiana Folk Tales: In French Dialect and English Translation'', 1894 * ''Louisiana Studies: Literature, Customs and Dialects, History and Education''. New Orleans: F.F. Hansell, 1894. * ''A History of Louisiana''. New York: Manzi, Joyant & Co., 1904. * ''Louisiana; Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons''. Atlanta: Southern Historical Association, 1909. * ''The Louisiana Sugar Planters of the Old Regime''. New Orleans, 1914. Papers presented to the Modern Language Association: * "The French Language in Louisiana and the Negro-French Dialect" * "The French Literature of Louisiana" * "Bits of Louisiana Folk Lore", 1887 * "The Acadians of Louisiana and Their Dialect" * "The Yalinos sleñosof Louisiana and Their Dialect"


Legacy and honors

Fortier was significant in the study of French language and literature in Louisiana and the United States, as well as the study of Louisiana Creole dialects - he did work in Louisiana Creole, Cajun and Isleño forms. His name is remembered in New Orleans: * Alcée Fortier Hall, Tulane University * Alcée Fortier High School * Alcée Fortier Street, in New Orleans East * Alcée Fortier Park at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street


References


External links


''Louisiana Folk-Tales / in French Dialect and in English Translation''
scanned version available at Internet Archive
Louisiana Historical Society

Modern Language Association

American Folklore Society
* New Orleans Academy of Sciences {{DEFAULTSORT:Fortier, Alcee American philologists American people of French descent Louisiana culture Louisiana Creole people 1856 births 1914 deaths Tulane University faculty American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law Contributors to the Catholic Encyclopedia American writers in French 19th-century American writers 20th-century American writers Presidents of the American Folklore Society Presidents of the Modern Language Association