Evenings with History – Rethinking the Legend of Petit Jean: History and Memory of French Colonization in Arkansas

The legend of “Petit Jean,” an 18th-century French woman who disguised herself as a soldier to accompany her lover on an expedition to North America, is a beloved piece of Arkansas lore. But is there any truth to the story? What, precisely, are its origins? This talk explores what Petit Jean and legends like it reveal about the many ways communities in Arkansas and across the U.S. have remembered their French-colonial roots.

Light refreshments will be served at 7:00 pm, and the lecture begins at 7:30 pm.