Special Days of Remembrance for Acadians
National Acadian Day
Selected at the first National Convention of the Acadians in Memramcook, New Brunswick in 1881 to foster unity and pride among the Acadians. August 15th was selected since this is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, who was chosen at this Convention as the patron saint of the Acadians.
Acadian Day of Remembrance
Established in 2003 through a Royal Proclamation by Queen Elizabeth II to denote the day in 1755 when Nova Scotia Governor Charles Lawrence signed the deportation order that led to the Le Grand Dérangement. It honors the resilience of the Acadian people and commemorates those died during the expulsion and the great suffering of Acadians who were exiled. The Royal Proclamation was the result of a 1990 petition to the Queen of England by Lafayette, LA attorney Warren Perrin seeking an apology for the Acadian Deportation and acknowledging the wrongs committed against the Acadian people in the name of the British crown.
Acadian Remembrance Day
Established in 2004, this day commemorates the victims of the “Duke William”, the “Violet” and the “Ruby” which sank in the Atlantic Ocean during the deportation of the Acadians. All three ships were part of a convoy transporting Acadians from Île Saint-Jean to France. The “Duke William” sank on December 13, 1758 with the loss of over 360 Acadian lives. The “Violet” sank December 11-12, 1758 late at night within sight of the “Duke William” with loss of over 300 Acadian lives. The “Ruby” sank December 16, 1758 near Pico Island in the Azores with the loss of ca. 200 Acadians. The loss of over 850 Acadians in these three ships of the convoy is one of the greatest maritime disasters in Canadian history. On this day Acadians wear a black star to acknowledge the great loss of life and the resilience of the Acadian people.
Louisiana Acadian Day
Established in 2024 to commemorate the arrival and settlement of deported Acadians in Louisiana during the late 1700s. It celebrates Acadian resilience, the unique heritage of the Acadian people and the cultural impact of the Acadians on Louisiana's development.
Acadian Heritage Month
Proclaimed in 2023 to celebrate over 400 years of Acadian settlement, history, culture and language. It honors the resilience of the Acadian people over these 400+ years and is a time to reflect on identity and strength.
International Francophonie Day [Journée Internationale de la Francophonie]
Created in 1988 it celebrates the French language and Francophone culture internationally which includes the Acadian language and culture.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day [La Fête Nationale du Québec]
Became a French-Canadian cultural holiday in 1834 and a public holiday in Québec in 1925. At the first National Convention of the Acadians in Memramcook, New Brunswick in 1881, the attendees chose not to use June 24th as National Acadian Day to separate themselves from the French-Canadians of Québec since they developed separately. Initially, a strictly religious event, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is now a nationalistic one in Québec. Many Acadians live in Québec today and thus celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. It is also celebrated by some French enclaves outside of Québec as in Minnesota.