Our Upper School elective Americans in Paris examines the work and lives of a number of artists, authors, and musicians who left the United States for Paris in the early 20th century. In this new interdisciplinary course, taught by English teacher Lyda Ely, students aim to see, hear, and read the varied contributions of expats like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein and Löis Mailou Jones. 

Students’ curiosity about the topic was further sparked by a recent visit from professor and author Brent Hayes Edwards. Sitting around a seminar-style table, Brent shared insights from his research on Black artists in Paris during the Jazz Age, as well as his knowledge about the American expat community. The discussion complemented the class's reading of Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and their viewing of the documentary Harlem in Montmartre in which Brent is featured.

Students appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with a subject-matter expert, deepening their understanding of the lasting impact these American expats made both in Paris and back home.