La Justice

La Justice was a weekly New England French newspaper published by the LaJustice Publishing Company of Holyoke, Massachusetts from 1904 until 1964, with issues printed biweekly during its final 6 years.[6] Throughout its history the newspaper reported local as well as syndicated international news in French, along with regular columns by its editorship discussing Franco-American identity.

La Justice
Age Quod Agis (Latin)
"Come as you are"
TypeWeekly newspaper
FormatBroadsheet
PublisherLaJustice Publishing Company, Inc.[1]
(dissolved 1983)
Founded1904
LanguageFrench
(New England French)
Ceased publication1964
Headquarters276-278 Main Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040 United States[2][3]
Circulation4,500 (1922)[4][5]:22
ISSN1053-3117
OCLC number9585230

History
Joseph Lussier, publisher and editor-in-chief of La Justice (1908–1940) and recipient of the Palmes Académiques

Founded in 1904 by Dr. Henry E. Chaput, the paper was most associated with its subsequent publisher-editor, Joseph Lussier.[7] Indeed Lussier was largely responsible for the growth of the paper, purchasing it in 1908 and assuming control in April 1909, as editor he transformed it from a small political organ of the city's French speakers into a widely-respected newspaper.[8][9] In the early 20th century La Justice and its staff quickly became a cultural institution for Massachusetts Francophones, and at the end of the First World War, Lussier was among those invited by Governor McCall to join the state reception for the Commission for Relief in Belgium.[10] For his work on the paper and dedication to the French language and culture, Lussier was awarded the Palmes Académiques, presented by the supreme secretary of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, on behalf of the French Consul General of New York Charles de Ferry de Fontnouvelle at the Valley Arena Gardens on January 14, 1934.[11] Lussier would own and operate the paper for much of its existence, before ultimately selling it to one Jacques Ducharme in 1940, who was the author of novel The Delusson Family, a fictional portrayal of French-Canadian life in Holyoke.[8][12] Ducharme however would not enjoy operating a newspaper and would sell the weekly to Roméo-Dadace Raymond in 1941; Raymond, who had worked at the paper since 1932, ultimately sold it to his son Gerry Raymond in 1957. With his son managing the business, R. D. Raymond continued as editor of the paper until his death on December 26, 1963; soon after his death, publication of the newspaper ceased.[13][14] Gerry Raymond would continue operating the business solely as a publishing firm until 1982 when he sold the business.[14][15]

Throughout its history, the paper's writers regularly explored what the integration of Holyoke and Western Massachusetts' French Canadians into other American cultures meant for their own, their language, and role in the fabric of the greater community. A regular column discussing Franco-American life would also be published in English in the paper’s later years.[16]

Reorganization

After the paper ceased publication around 1964, its parent company, LaJustice Publishing continued as a printing firm for several years, often receiving contracts for city printing jobs, including publishing a history of the city's Franco-American community for its centennial in 1973.[17][18] In 1982, Gerry Raymond retired and sold the firm to Edward J. Sullivan, who dissolved the corporation in 1983, and reorganized it as LaJustice Printing. In 2007 it was purchased by his daughter Kathleen Lynch, who continued to operate it as a small commercial printing firm;[19] the company remained active in some form as recently as March 2018.[20][21]

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See also

References
  1. N.W. Ayer Directory, Newspapers, Magazines and Trade Publications. N. W. Ayer & Son. 1917. p. 402.
  2. "Le seul journal...". La Justice. Holyoke: LaJustice Publishing Company, Inc. p. 1.
  3. "Fire Extinguished". Springfield Union. Holyoke, Mass. May 16, 1963. p. 42. Fire fighters were called to the rear of La Justice Publishing Co. at 276 Main St. Wednesday noon when an incinerator fire spread to the casing of a nearby window
  4. N.W. Ayer & Son's American Newspaper Annual and Directory. 1922. p. 424.
  5. The Franco-American Centennial Committee; Potvin, Vivian Rainault; Potvin, William H. (June 1973). The Franco-Americans Honor Holyoke's Historic Hundredth; Souvenir Program. Holyoke, Mass.: LaJustice Publishing Company.
  6. "About La justice. (Holyoke, Mass.) 1903-1964". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015.
  7. La vie franco-américaine. Quebec: Conseil de la vie française en Amérique. 1952. p. 389. OCLC 243882454.
  8. "Joseph Lussier Succumbs at 91 in North Adams". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. November 18, 1957. p. 1.
  9. Histoire de la presse Franco-Américaine (in French). Worcester, Mass.: L'Opinion Publique. 1911. p. 217.
  10. "Holyoke, Mass.- Tradesmen Active in Big Affairs". The American Printer. Vol. 65 no. 5. New York. September 5, 1917. p. 64.
  11. "Holyoke Editor is Honored by French Republic". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. January 15, 1934. p. 1. Joseph Lussier, editor of La Justice, a local French weekly newspaper, this afternoon at the Valley arena before more than 1000 people was presented with the Palmes Academique medal, an award of the French republic, in appreciation of his work among the French-speaking people of the country...The presentation speech was made by Ellie Vezina of Woonsocket, R. I., supreme secretary of the society, and who was named by Mr. deFontnouvelle consult-general of France in New York city, as the representative of the French government
  12. "'La Justice' de Holyoke Vendue A [sic] M. Ducharme". Justice de Biddeford (in French). Biddeford, Maine. June 7, 1940. Comme nous allons sous presse, on nous apprend que 'La Justice' de Holyoek a changé de propriétaire. M. Joseph Lussier, fondateur et éditeur-propriétaire de 'La Justice' depuis toujours a vendu son journal a M. Jacques Ducharme, jeune auteur de 'The Delusson Family'. M. Ducharme est un diplômé du collège de l'Assomption de Worcester et de l'université Harvard, et l'un des jeunes Franco-Américains les plus en vue de la ville de Holyoke.
  13. "R. D. Raymond, French Weekly Editor, Is Dead". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. December 27, 1963. p. 16.
  14. "Retired businessman working as volunteer". Springfield Union-News. Springfield, Mass. November 21, 1988. p. 3.
  15. "Roméo-Dadace Raymond [Obituary]". Bulletin de la Société historique franco-américaine. Vol. X. La Société historique franco-américaine. 1965. p. 34. En 1932, il entre au service de La Justice de Holyoke dirigée par Joseph Lussier. En 1939 ce dernier âgé cède son entreprise à M. Jacques Ducharme mais celui-ci n'y trouve pas gout et en 1941, M. Raymond devient propriétaire
  16. Gosnell, Jonathan K. (2018). Franco-America in the Making: The Creole Nation Within. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 196–197. ISBN 9781496207135.
  17. "Holyoke Printers Aid Graphic Arts Education". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. January 17, 1965. p. 21E.
  18. "Lower Rates For Electric Heat Planned". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. March 9, 1960. p. 20.
  19. "Voices of the Valley: Kathleen Lynch, LaJustice Printing Co., Holyoke". The Republican. Springfield, Mass. May 30, 2011. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018.
  20. [Query- "LA JUSTICE PUBLISHING COMPANY, INCORPORATED"], Massachusetts Corp. Card Search, Corporation Cards of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth
  21. "LaJustice Printing Company". 2018. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018.
  • LaJustice Printing Company, Inc., the original publishers of the paper, extant as a printing service as recently as of 2018
  • La Justice, Google News Archive; contains records for paper and other with same name from Drummondville, QC, some dates mislabeled
  • Holyoke History Room, Holyoke Public Library; holds microfilm records of issues from 1909 to 1944 in collections
  • La Justice, issue for January 3, 1935; uploaded from Holyoke Public Library microfilm
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