Personal Motivation

Henri’s journals and letters have for many years been a source of great personal interest. I always knew that my Great-Great-Grandfather kept a record of his trip through the Americas, but I did not know the context surrounding his trip until taking the time to read his journals. I believe his journals are of great historical and cultural value and they say a great deal about the kind of man he was. They are a window into his passions, his thoughts and his prejudices. Reading his journals made me reflect upon my own beliefs and wonder if they would hold up under scrutiny 150 years from now. I aim to discover if retracing his steps in the Americas of today will be as personally transformative as his original voyage seemed to be for him.