Speaker: Elizabeth Reese, Author of Marquis de Lafayette Returns: A Tour of America’s National Capitol Region
Public Historian and author Elizabeth Reese discusses her book and Lafayette’s first visit to Fredericksburg, sharing insights on why Lafayette’s legacy still resonates today.
Sponsor: George Washington Foundation
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.
