http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=188891&ac=PHnws
Beliveau honored for cultural advocacy
YORK NEIGHBORS: Les Franco Americains
By JULIANA L'HEUREUX May 22, 2008
Severin Beliveau speaks at the Legion of Honor ceremonies at the State House Hall of Flags last week.
Severin Beliveau's humble French ancestors arrived in Canada 12 generations ago. They made the arduous journey in the mid-17th century to settle the country mapped by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, who founded Quebec City in 1608.
Those adventurous French pioneers could not foresee how one of their descendents would eventually be recognized as an advocate for their culture, and subsequently become successful enough to receive their country's highest award. This is especially ironic given the low esteem in which Franco-American descendents had been held in the past.
The Legion of Honor, created in 1802 by Napolean Bonapart, distinguishes people who bring honor to France and promote French culture. It was presented to Beliveau, a Maine lawyer, last week in Augusta by French Ambassador to the United States Pierre Vimont. Governor John Baldacci hosted the ceremony in the State House Hall of Flags.
Franco-Americans continue to connect with their French heritage, despite many years of adversity, said Vimont. In fact, Maine's Franco-Americans overcame the stigma of ethnic and religious discrimination to achieve economic stability, while remembering their rich traditions.
Nevertheless, many of today's Franco-Americans are less aware than previous generations of their pioneering French ancestry. Rather, they are assimilated into the American culture.
''We need to be proud of our history,'' said Beliveau, during his acceptance remarks. ''It's important to teach our children about our French heritage because we are part of American history,'' he said.
''North Americans today might be speaking French as our primary language, rather than English, if France won the French and Indian War conflicts,'' he said. ''This long history is something for us to think about.''
French language, culture, and history were in the limelight at the State House when Vimont presented Beliveau with the Legion of Honor.
Children from L'Ecole Francaise du Maine, a French immersion school in Freeport, sang the American national anthem in English. They followed by singing ''La Marseilles,'' the French national anthem written in 1792, in French.
Several generations of Beliveau's friends, family and well-wishers gathered to celebrate with Franco-Americans who attended by invitation from the governor. Beliveau was joined by his wife, Cynthia, and their four sons during ceremonies conducted from a podium situated between an American and a French flag.
Baldacci congratulated Beliveau as an accomplished Maine lawyer and former state legislator who supports Maine's French heritage and culture. In 2004, Beliveau helped the governor lead a trade mission to France which successfully brought economic and cultural business into Maine, said Vimont.
''This is a wonderful occasion to recognize Maine's Franco-Americans who make up 25 percent of our state's population,'' Baldacci said.
Maine State Sen. John Martin is a French-speaking French-Acadian and Franco-American from Eagle Lake in Aroostook County. ''We're all very happy for Severin today,'' said Martin.
Rep. Paulette Beaudoin, D-Biddeford, spoke about her Franco-American heritage. She was born in Biddeford and speaks French. ''This is a day for us to be proud of our heritage,'' she said.
Norman Beaupre, a Biddeford native, French-language writer and professor emeritus said the prestigious award is deserved recognition for Beliveau's 16 years of good work serving as the French Honorary Consul in Maine. ''He deserves this important recognition,'' said Beaupre.
Beliveau's speech reflected on his family's French Canadian and Acadian heritage. His father was the son of Quebec immigrants who settled in Lewiston and Rumford.
''Indeed, all French-Canadians and Franco-Americans are recognized by the presentation of this esteemed award from the French government,'' he said.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
French Government Recognizes 12th generation Franco-American Severin Beliveau
France to honor Severin Beliveau
on May 13, 2008
By Juliana L’Heureux
A tour of Severin Beliveau's legal office in Augusta is a Franco-American's historic treat. His family's Franco-American history is easily viewed among the pictures and framed archived documents hanging close to his professional work, handsomely decorating the bright walls of his busy legal office.
A photograph of his Franco-American father, Judge Albert Beliveau, born in 1887, is particularly interesting. "These photographs remind me of my ancestral roots as a French speaking Franco-American," he said during the tour. "My father taught me to believe that you can never deny your roots and your heritage."
On March 2, 1992, Beliveau was appointed the honorary French consular agent for Maine. His support for Franco-American and French heritage in Maine and New England will be honored by France, with the presentation of the premier order of The Legion of Honor (Legion d'Honneur), at ceremonies scheduled at the State House on May 13 in Augusta.
"I feel very humble about receiving this honor," said Beliveau. "It's actually a tribute to my French heritage, going back to 1636 when my family arrived in Acadia. In 1671, my Acadian ancestor Jean-Antoine Beliveau married Jeanne Bourg in Port Royal," he said.
Actually, the Beliveau name has French-Acadian origins, before the family became Quebecois, as a result of le Grand Derangement (the displacement).
In the middle 1600s, his ancestors sailed from Poitou in France, to Port Royal in Acadia (Nova Scotia). Beliveau's Acadian ancestral family was displaced by le Grand Derangement during the conflagrations of 1755, when they evaded the British expulsion of Acadians and fled to the Province of Quebec. In 1772, genealogy records show that Joseph Beliveau married Rosalie Richard in Quebec. The family later moved to Nicolet, then to St. Gregoire.
In the late 1800s, the family came to Lewiston, like so many other Quebecois, where the attraction of finding work among the growing textile mills provided economic security. They later moved to Rumford, where Beliveau was born.
Beliveau's legal career followed in the prestigious footsteps of other lawyers and judges in his family. In 1935, his father, Albert J. Beliveau Sr., was appointed the first Franco-American to Maine's Superior Court. In 1954, he was the first Franco-American appointed to Maine's Supreme Judicial Court. "It was when discrimination against French-Canadians and Franco-Americans was very high. My father was their advocate," he recalls.
Beliveau's Irish grandfather, Matthew McCarthy, was the first municipal court judge in Rumford.
Consul General of France in Boston, Franois Gauthier recognizes Beliveau's lifetime of support for the French language and culture in Maine.
"The Legion of Honor is pleased to recognize Severin Bliveau as a tremendous representative of our country's French heritage in North America," he said.
"He is a successful lawyer and businessman who is the head of the 'Forum Francophone des Affaires' in Maine. Severin is a decisive leader in some key projects for improving the relationship between the Pine Tree State and France, such as the governor's successful trade mission to France in October 2005. He is a proud member of the Franco-American community in Maine and New England. His family ties to France are very meaningful to him. We are grateful that he has put his talents to the service of Franco-Americans and France."
The Legion of Honor was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize and pay tribute to people who demonstrate outstanding military and civilian service to the people of France.
Beliveau and his wife Cynthia and four sons live in Hallowell.
Published in the May 1, 2008, Portland Press Herald, Neighbors Edition
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=184594&ac=PHnws
on May 13, 2008
By Juliana L’Heureux
A tour of Severin Beliveau's legal office in Augusta is a Franco-American's historic treat. His family's Franco-American history is easily viewed among the pictures and framed archived documents hanging close to his professional work, handsomely decorating the bright walls of his busy legal office.
A photograph of his Franco-American father, Judge Albert Beliveau, born in 1887, is particularly interesting. "These photographs remind me of my ancestral roots as a French speaking Franco-American," he said during the tour. "My father taught me to believe that you can never deny your roots and your heritage."
On March 2, 1992, Beliveau was appointed the honorary French consular agent for Maine. His support for Franco-American and French heritage in Maine and New England will be honored by France, with the presentation of the premier order of The Legion of Honor (Legion d'Honneur), at ceremonies scheduled at the State House on May 13 in Augusta.
"I feel very humble about receiving this honor," said Beliveau. "It's actually a tribute to my French heritage, going back to 1636 when my family arrived in Acadia. In 1671, my Acadian ancestor Jean-Antoine Beliveau married Jeanne Bourg in Port Royal," he said.
Actually, the Beliveau name has French-Acadian origins, before the family became Quebecois, as a result of le Grand Derangement (the displacement).
In the middle 1600s, his ancestors sailed from Poitou in France, to Port Royal in Acadia (Nova Scotia). Beliveau's Acadian ancestral family was displaced by le Grand Derangement during the conflagrations of 1755, when they evaded the British expulsion of Acadians and fled to the Province of Quebec. In 1772, genealogy records show that Joseph Beliveau married Rosalie Richard in Quebec. The family later moved to Nicolet, then to St. Gregoire.
In the late 1800s, the family came to Lewiston, like so many other Quebecois, where the attraction of finding work among the growing textile mills provided economic security. They later moved to Rumford, where Beliveau was born.
Beliveau's legal career followed in the prestigious footsteps of other lawyers and judges in his family. In 1935, his father, Albert J. Beliveau Sr., was appointed the first Franco-American to Maine's Superior Court. In 1954, he was the first Franco-American appointed to Maine's Supreme Judicial Court. "It was when discrimination against French-Canadians and Franco-Americans was very high. My father was their advocate," he recalls.
Beliveau's Irish grandfather, Matthew McCarthy, was the first municipal court judge in Rumford.
Consul General of France in Boston, Franois Gauthier recognizes Beliveau's lifetime of support for the French language and culture in Maine.
"The Legion of Honor is pleased to recognize Severin Bliveau as a tremendous representative of our country's French heritage in North America," he said.
"He is a successful lawyer and businessman who is the head of the 'Forum Francophone des Affaires' in Maine. Severin is a decisive leader in some key projects for improving the relationship between the Pine Tree State and France, such as the governor's successful trade mission to France in October 2005. He is a proud member of the Franco-American community in Maine and New England. His family ties to France are very meaningful to him. We are grateful that he has put his talents to the service of Franco-Americans and France."
The Legion of Honor was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize and pay tribute to people who demonstrate outstanding military and civilian service to the people of France.
Beliveau and his wife Cynthia and four sons live in Hallowell.
Published in the May 1, 2008, Portland Press Herald, Neighbors Edition
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=184594&ac=PHnws
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
