Americans in Paris

Mural: "Ben Franklin, Colonial Postmaster," 1938, by George Harding at the Ariel Rios Federal Building
in Washington, D.C. Source: Library of Congress. 

My overall project for the current "Paris in July" blog event is writers who wrote in French about Paris. In contrast, as we are celebrating the founding of the US tomorrow, July 4, it's also interesting to think about American expats who lived in Paris, and what they mean to American history. I started this post with a mural about Benjamin Franklin, who went to France to represent the American Colonies at the start of the Revolution, so he can be considered the first ex-pat. Franklin is a man of so many accomplishments that it's hard to represent him with just one image! 

American ExPats

Just for fun, here's my list of Americans who lived for at least a while in Paris. Some wrote about Paris, some didn't.  Fans of these short-term or life-long Paris residents often like to visit the streets where they lived, the cafes where they hung out, or even their graves, if they are buried in a Paris cemetery. I have included a brief word on what they did, and the approximate dates of their stay.

Benjamin Franklin, Diplomat & Writer: 1776-1785

Thomas Jefferson, Diplomat & Statesman: 1784-1789 

Henry James, Novelist: 1875-1876

Edith Wharton, Novelist: 1907-1937

Gertrude Stein, Writer & Host of Famous Salon: 1903-1946

Alice B. Toklas, Partner of Gertrude Stein: 1910-1967 

Ernest Hemingway, Novelist: 1921-1928 

Janet Flanner, Journalist: 1922-1939 and 1944-1979

Josephine Baker, Dancer & Stage Personality: 1925-1975

A. J. Liebling, Journalist: 1926-1927

Anaïs Nin, Writer: 1924-1940 

Henry Miller, Writer: 1930-1939

Art Buchwald, Journalist: 1948-1961

James Baldwin, Writer: 1948-1970

Chester Heims, Writer: 1953-1984 

Julia and Paul Child, Cookbook Creators: 1948-1954

Nina Simone, Singer-Songwriter: 1981-1983

Jim Morrison, Singer-Songwriter: 1971. His grave in Pére Lachaise Cemetery is much more famous than his brief Paris stay at the end of his life.

Paris Homes of the American Ex-Patriates

If you walk around in Paris, you will see many information placards on the walls of buildings, frequently naming a famous person who lived in that house or an event that occurred nearby. Many of the people on the list above are commemorated this way at the Paris locations where they lived. However, not all of those on the list are so remembered. For example, James Baldwin when in Paris lived in cheap hotels. Or Henry Miller who lived in a variety of places. Here are a few images of such placards:

Benjamin Franklin’s street in the Passy district
is now named for him.

 

I have often seen this doorway and placard identifying Hemingway’s best-known Paris residence
because we have a friend who lives directly across the street.

Julia and Paul Child lived in this Paris building — but
there is no placard. She’s not that well-known in France.

After becoming rich & famous, dancer Josephine Baker lived in this chateau.
It was in the Dordogne, location corrected -- thanks, Kwarkito!
She adopted many children and made them a home here. Then she lost her money, and had to sell. (source)

Nina Simone’s exact Paris address isn’t known,
but this graffiti appeared in the Montmartre area in 2012. (source)

The grave of Jim Morrison in 2021, 50 years after his death (source).
Gertrude Stein is also buried in the very famous Pére Lachaise Cemetery.

Blog post © 2022 mae sander, photos Wikipedia or as credited.

Shared with Sami's mural project and with Paris in July.