Speaker: John Hennessy, author and retired historian, National Park Service (NPS)
The program examines Lafayette’s 1824 visit, its key moments and sites, and why his three-day stay may have been the biggest celebration in Fredericksburg’s history.
John Hennessy recently retired as the Chief Historian at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he worked for the final 26 years of his NPS career. He is the author of four books and dozens of articles and essays on preservation, historical interpretation, and the history of the U.S. and the Fredericksburg region during the mid-nineteenth century.
Sponsor: Fredericksburg Lafayette Bicentennial Commemoration Committee
About Fredericksburg Lafayette Bicentennial Commemoration 2024:
Over the last two years, representatives of historic and civic organizations, city personnel, and historic-minded individuals researched documents, mapped out Lafayette’s original route, identified the venues that he visited, and formed a plan to honor this hero at the 200th anniversary of his 1824 Fredericksburg visit.
In the years following his Farewell Tour, public awareness of Lafayette’s important contribution has gradually faded. But in 1824, across the country, Lafayette held rock star status.
The goals of the Commemoration are to rekindle interest in Lafayette’s incredible life, to underscore Fredericksburg’s continuing relationship with “The Hero of Two Worlds,” and to foster gratitude for his contributions.
The Commemoration Committee has worked to create “an event like none other.” The Committee worked closely with the American Friends of Lafayette (AFL) to tie our programming to its own. For more information on other Lafayette Bicentennial events, visit Lafayette200.org here.
See more information about the Fredericksburg Lafayette Bicentennial Commemoration 2024 here.
