The first of the growing list of America2026 conferences, this symposium at the university of Aix-Marseille in Aix-en-Provence in October 2021 brought together some of the founding members of the consortium, such as Bertrand Van Ruymbeke (Paris 8), Emilie Mitran (Toulon), Steven Sarson (Lyon 3) and Patrick Spero (Mount Vernon), sealing the transatlantic partnership at the heart of the program, between Paris 8 and its US sponsors.