SUMMARY

The American Friends of Lafayette is thrilled to announce the upcoming thirteen-month bicentennial celebration of Major General Lafayette’s triumphant return tour to America! August 16, 2024 kicks off the beginning of this monumental occasion with hundreds of events planned tracing the footsteps of Lafayette on his tour of America as the “Guest of the Nation” between 1824–1825, in the exact order he traveled. In anticipation of the upcoming Bicentennial celebrations, the AFL has created a video with Director James Lee, in order to bring awareness, excitement, and have some fun in launching the countdown to next year’s events. Lafayette’s enduring legacy includes the creation of the Franco-American alliance, the formation of America, his abolitionist views, supporter of women’s rights, and his belief in universal human rights, greatly impacted the world which we know today. We are planning events with those who live in the towns, cities, and communities that Lafayette visited during his Farewell Tour. We intend to celebrate around the same time on the exact days that Lafayette traveled. It’s a massive undertaking scheduling volunteers, working along side historical societies, working with historians to ensure accuracy, creating programs with museums and schools, and designing events. It is well worth the effort and it has been a pleasure getting to know so many of those in the communities. We hope that you enjoy the video and hope to see you at one or more of Lafayette’s stops in 2024- 2025. For more information please visit www.lafayette200.org