Melvin Gallant

1933-

Melvin Gallant was born on May 24, 1932 — other sources mention 1933— in Urbainville, in the Evangeline region, west of Prince Edward Island. After attending Collège Saint-Joseph at Memramcook, New Brunswick, he taught from 1957-1960 at Sacré-Coeur in Bathurst. In 1960 he obtained a degree in political science from the University of Paris and a master’s degree from the Catholic Institute of Paris in 1964. That same year he began to teach French and Acadian literature at the Université de Moncton. Gallant retired from the Université de Moncton in 1993 and was made professor emeritus of letters. Gallant co-founded publishing house Éditions d'Acadie in 1972 and was president until 1975, then president of the board of directors and of the executive committee from 1977 to 1984. He was also the founder in 1978 of the Association of Acadian Writers, which gave birth to Éditions Perce-Neige in 1980. He founded the political analysis journal Égalité the same year. He published several novels, including fifteen for children, including his Ti-Jean series, inspired by a character from Acadian folklore. In 1999, he created a female version of the character, Tite-Jeanne. Éditions d'Acadie closed in 2000 and Gallant published new versions of Ti-Jean with Éditions Bouton d'or Acadie. Other publications include La Cuisine Traditionnelle en Acadie, co-written in 1975 with Marielle Boudreau, the collection of poetry L'Été insulaire (1982) and the historical novel Le Métis de Beaubassin (2009).

 

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Moncton

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