RLFR 330
Unveiling Herstory: Heroines of the Francophone Enlightenment Spring 2025
Division I Difference, Power, and Equity

On May 10, 2022, Paris unveiled the first statue of a black woman, Solitude, an emblematic figure of courage and resilience in the eighteenth-century fight against slavery in Guadeloupe. Against the backdrop of the contemporary French movement wherein statues of Enlightenment thinkers like Diderot, Rousseau, and Voltaire have been vandalized and sparked intense debates on memory and politics, Solitude’s recognition adds a profound dimension. Once revered as iconoclastic and progressive these male figures have in recent years been scrutinized for perpetuating ideals associated with white male hegemony, challenging conventional notions of freedom and equality. This tutorial invites students to reevaluate the Enlightenment movement, navigating beyond traditional narratives centered around male figures like Voltaire and Rousseau. It explores the transformative era post-French Revolution, shining a spotlight on the exceptional contributions made by women who defied societal norms within the eighteenth-century francophone world. Adopting a global perspective, the course not only examines events in France but also delves into its former colonies, particularly Haiti and Guadeloupe. By scrutinizing literary and ethnographic texts, as well as visual imagery, the course unravels the stories of remarkable women like Charlotte Corday, a key influencer during the Reign of Terror, and Sanité Belair, an active participant in the Haitian Revolution. The overarching goal is to underscore the significant roles and contributions of these women, often marginalized in historical narratives. Moreover, the course addresses the impact of archival gaps, shedding light on how the destruction of judicial archives by the French in their former colonies has shaped the remembrance of figures like Solitude and Belair.