About this Event
In honor of the 200th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette's historic Farewell Tour of the US (1824-1825), the Embassy of France in the United States is proud to host a panel discussion on the multifaceted life and legacy of Lafayette. This event will bring together renowned experts to shed light on Lafayette's various roles—as a military leader, diplomat, and champion of liberty—while exploring his profound influence on French-American relations.
Introduction by Deputy Chief of Mission Agnes von der Mühll.
With the participation of:
Vincent Bouat-Ferlier, director of the Lafayette Fondation Chambrun. Vincent preserves and studies the Foundation's holdings from General Lafayette, notably his Château de La Grange-Bléneau, and archives pertaining to the General and his family. The goal is to teach about Lafayette's personality, life and ideas and to promote and support historical research on the development of democratic ideas as a whole.
Kenneth Cohen, Chair of the Division of Military & Society and Curator of Early America at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Kenneth's scholarship on the connections between popular, political, and military culture in the 18th and 19th centuries has featured at historic sites and museums on three continents and won prizes from the Society of Historians of the Early American Republic, the Popular Culture Association, and other organizations. He is currently working on a history of halls of fame and a major exhibition exploring the history of armed conflict in the United States.
Robert Kelly, Vice President of the American Friends of Lafayette. In this role, Robert is leading Lafayette Bicentennial public programming and education efforts. He has also served as the Director of the Gloucester Museum of History since 2020, as President of the Fort Monroe Historical Society and as President of the Peninsula Museums Forum. Robert began his career at Fort Monroe National Monument in 2011 where he worked for eight years as a historian. His 2019 publication, “Humanizing the Enslaved of Fort Monroe’s Arc of Freedom,” was featured in Yale University’s Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies. As a result of this work, he was recognized as a Virginia Humanities Scholar in 2020.
Julien Icher, founder and president of The Lafayette Trail, Inc. The Trail documents, maps and marks General Lafayette's footsteps during his Farewell Tour. It aims to educate the public about the national significance of this visit and to promote a broader understanding of Lafayette's numerous contributions to American independence. With the Trail, Julien produces a not-for-profit web series entitled, "Follow the Frenchman," that takes viewers to the heart of the Marquis's story.
Iris de Rode, Historian and Researcher will be the moderator. Dr. Iris de Rode, Postdoctoral fellow at the Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia (Historian, specialized in French-American relations). De Rode is currently working on a new book titled "En route to Revolution" that will be published in 2025 and is currently working on public history initiatives with the National Park Service, the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association, the Philadelphia Museum of the American Revolution, George Washington's Mount Vernon.
Chuck Schwam, Executive Director, will also present the American Friends of Lafayette.
Presentation followed by a glass of wine and cheeses.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
La Maison Française at the Embassy of France, 4101 Reservoir Road nw, Washington, United States
USD 7.18 to USD 17.85