March 24, 2026
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Dennis Stroughmatt Illinois Humanities Road Scholar
You are cordially invited to attend an Illinois Road Scholar lecture by musician and cultural preservationist Dennis Stroughmatt, who learned to play Creole tunes and to speak the local variety of French from the last Francophone descendants of Illinois and Missouri (see abstract below). He will present:
Old French Roots in the New World: Cajuns and Creoles to the New World
Date | Wednesday, April 1 |
Time | 12-1 p.m. |
Location | Lucy Ellis Lounge (and online) |
Speaker | |
Sponsors | Illinois Humanities and the Department of French & Italian The event is free and open to the public! |
There will be a lunch buffet following the lecture, and those of you who play the violin, or any instrument, are encouraged to bring it and join us as we try our hand at playing some of the fiddle tunes during the Q&A. Feel free to encourage your students to attend.
Contact: Zsuzsanna Fagyal (zsfagyal@illinois.edu)
This event is co-presented by the Illinois Humanities (IH) Road Scholars Speakers Bureau. Road Scholar speakers travel throughout Illinois sharing free, dynamic presentations about literature, philosophy, theater, local history, film, music, politics, and more, at no cost to host organizations. The program enables local nonprofit organizations to present free-admission cultural programs to their communities. IH is a statewide nonprofit organization that activates the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities that spark conversation, foster reflection, build community, and strengthen civic engagement for everyone in Illinois. Founded in 1974, IH is the state partner for the National Endowment for the Humanities and supported by state, federal, and private funds. Stay connected with Illinois Humanities on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn @ILHumanities.