FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Acadia Parish Tourism Hosts CODOFIL’s Louisiana French: Preserve & Evolve Traveling
Exhibition Throughout September
CROWLEY, La. — September 2026 — Acadia Parish Tourism is proud to host Louisiana French:
Preserve & Evolve, a multilingual traveling exhibition organized by CODOFIL, throughout the month of
September at the Acadia Parish Visitor Center in Crowley.
Supported by a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Rebirth Grant and the State of Louisiana, the
exhibition explores the past, present and future of Louisiana French while challenging common
misconceptions about the language and the people who continue to speak, teach and preserve it.
Louisiana French — along with its sister language, Louisiana Creole/Kouri-Vini — has shaped the
culture and identity of the state immeasurably. Yet Louisiana French has often been misunderstood or
dismissed as “broken” French or even as a language that has disappeared. Louisiana French: Preserve &
Evolve offers a different perspective: one of a living language with its own distinct character, deep
historical roots and connections to the wider French-speaking world.
The exhibition invites visitors to discover the many ways French has been used across generations and
communities in Louisiana. Historical and contemporary materials include an 1845 Louisiana
Constitution, 19th-century French-language newspaper headers, a 1917 Louisiana catechism, music and
literature, bilingual signage, Louisiana French internet memes and selections from the Dictionary of
Louisiana French. Visitors can also test their ears with an interactive activity comparing recordings of
French speakers from rural Louisiana and rural France.
Another section of the exhibition turns the spotlight toward the people and organizations working to
ensure Louisiana’s heritage languages have a future. Profiles highlight French and Creole language
activism across the state, including French Tables, OpéraCréole, École Pointe-au-Chien, Route Lafayette
and families and community members incorporating French into everyday life.
The final portion of the exhibition emphasizes that language preservation is not only about documenting
the past — it depends on people choosing to speak, learn and share these languages today. The exhibit
incorporates music and interactive elements, including Jourdan Thibodeaux’s “La Prière,” to encourage
visitors to consider their own relationship with Louisiana’s linguistic heritage.
2026 Officers
Keith Henry – Chairman
Valerie Myers – Vice Chairman
Chelsey Gallow Hopkins – Secretary
Nicole DeJean-Broussard – Treasurer
Commissioners
Suzette Leonards
Harold Fonte
Shanteé Gotte Manuel
Chellie Godeaux
Nora Benoit
Bart Wild
Marietta Leonards
Mail: P.O. Box 1342 ~ Physical: 401 Tower Road, Crowley, Louisiana 70526
Office: 337-783-2108
Visitors will also find resources for continuing their exploration beyond the exhibition, including
information about learning French, French Table gatherings, scholarships and other opportunities to
become involved with Louisiana’s French-speaking community.
“Acadia Parish has deep connections to Louisiana’s French language and culture, so we are especially
excited to bring this exhibition to Crowley,” said Chere Ledoux, Acadia Parish Tourism’s
Communications Director. “This exhibit reminds us that Louisiana French is more than something
preserved in history books. It continues to live through our music, our communities, our families and the
people choosing to speak and learn it today.”
Since its debut in 2024, Louisiana French: Preserve & Evolve has traveled to communities across South
Louisiana, including Eunice, Abbeville, Jennings and Lafayette.
The exhibition is free and open to the public throughout September at the Acadia Parish Visitor Center,
401 Tower Rd., Crowley, Louisiana 70526 during regular visitor center hours, Monday-Friday 8AM-
4PM.
For additional information about the exhibition or visiting Acadia Parish, contact
Chere Ledoux, Communications Director
Acadia Parish Tourism
337-783-2108 (Office)
337-277-7367 (Cell)
Chere@acadiaparishtourism.com
About CODOFIL
The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) works to support and promote the
development of French in Louisiana through education, economic development, international relations
and cultural initiatives.
About Acadia Parish Tourism
Acadia Parish Tourism promotes the communities, culture, history, cuisine and attractions of Acadia
Parish and welcomes visitors to experience the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun Prairie.
