Alcée Fortier

Alcée Fortier
Alcée Fortier in 1893
Born	June 5, 1856 St. James Parish, Louisiana
Died	1914 (aged 57–58)
Resting place	St. Louis Cemetery, New Orleans
Years active	1880-1914
Spouse(s)	Marie Lanauze
Parent(s)	Florent Louis Fortier Edwige Aimé

Alcée Fortier (June 5, 1856 – 1914) was a renowned Professor of Romance Languages at Tulane University in New Orleans. In the late 19th and early 20th century, he published numerous works on language, literature, Louisiana history and folklore, Louisiana Creole languages, and personal reminiscence. His perspective was valuable because of his French Creole ancestry. He was president of the Modern Language Association and Louisiana Historical Society, was appointed to the State Board of Education, and was active in the American Folklore Society and the New Orleans Academy of Sciences.

Fortier was born in St. James Parish, on the plantation of his grandfather Valcour Aime, Petit Versailles Plantation. He was the son of Florent Louis Fortier and Edwige Aime. His father and grandfathers were sugar cane planters of French Creole ancestry. The Fortier family had been in the Louisiana territory since the early 17th century. His maternal grandfather was Valcour Aime, who also had a sugar cane plantation in St. James Parish. The families were prominent in the social and political life of the parish and the state.

Fortier's life was marked by the interruption of the American Civil War, and his family's abrupt changes in fortune following the war. He completed classes at the classical school of A.V. Romain in New Orleans and entered the University of Virginia. Serious illness prevented him from completing his studies there. Fortier returned to New Orleans and read law, then started working as a clerk.

Fortier taught French in the city high school, then became principal in the preparatory department of the University of Louisiana.

In 1880 Fortier was elected professor of French in the University of Louisiana, and was reelected when it became Tulane University. He worked as a Professor of Romance Languages there his entire career, but expanded his studies to include Louisiana Creole, Acadian French, and Louisiana folklore of both Acadians and freedmen, as well as European languages.