Lafayette 200 - Frederick County Public Library Events

Lafayette's Farewell Tour Lecture Series at

Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL)

October – December, 2024

The Marquis de Lafayette (given name, Gilbert du Motier) was a hero and financier of America’s Revolutionary War, advisor to the Founding Fathers, and a thought leader in building our democratic principles and institutions. He was also a surrogate son to George Washington.

Lafayette’s Farewell Tour of America, from August 15, 1824 to September 9, 1825, saw the French 67-year-old last surviving major general of the American Revolution triumphantly return from France to the country he loved. During his Tour, Lafayette covered over 6,000 miles by carriage, stagecoach, canal barge, and steamboat, traveling to all 24 existing states, as well as making a historic visit to Frederick, MD. Frederick County Public Libraries throughout the County host a series of lectures highlighting Lafayette’s life and legacy including:

Walkersville Branch Library | 11/24 – 1:30 pm: Lafayette and Civil Rights for Women and Native Americans, and Religious Freedom

C. Burr Artz Public Library | 12/1 – 2 pm: Lafayette and Human Rights

A multi-panel history exhibit accompanies the lecture series and is on display at the above library sites during the month of the lecture from now through December and at other Frederick County library sites in 2025.

The history panels are made possible by a generous grant from Delaplaine Foundation with additional support from Visit Frederick. The lectures are made possible by Frederick County Public Libraries in partnership with the American Friends of Lafayette and the Lafayette Bicentennial in Frederick Committee.

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The panels and lectures tell the remarkable stories of Lafayette including his heroic participation in the American Revolution, his critical role in forging the Franco-American Alliance, his lifelong passion for human rights, and his return to America as Guest of the Nation in 1824-1825.

This history is depicted through historic images and the lively storytelling of speaker, Dr. Patricia Maclay, a lifetime member of the American Friends of Lafayette, the national organization leading the commemoration of the bicentennial in 2024-2025. The exhibit and lectures strive to make Lafayette’s story and his role in the birth of our nation accessible and relevant to all Frederick’s citizens.

Join Dr. Patricia L. Maclay for this series of talks to learn more about the extraordinary life of the Marquis de Lafayette as he helped create the fundamental freedoms and institutions we rely upon today. Develop a broader appreciation of Lafayette, not only as a champion of democracy, but also as a complex and multifaceted man who left an indelible mark on our nation.