In 1824, the Marquis de Lafayette visited the city of Fredericksburg as part of his multiyear Grand Tour of the United States. Lafayette was an extraordinary individual who made essential contributions to American history as a wealthy nobleman, revolutionary hero, military officer, enlightenment thinker, democratic supporter, and committed abolitionist. Lafayette’s World: Revolutionary Ideals and the Limits of Freedom celebrates the Marquis as an individual and the belief in freedom and democracy shared by those he fought alongside in the American Revolution.

Accompanying Programming:

Lafayette’s World Exhibit Opening

Friday, March 1, 2024
5:30 – 7 p.m.

Join the Fredericksburg Area Museum for a reception celebrating the opening of the special exhibition, Lafayette’s World: Revolutionary Ideals and the Limits of Freedom. Light refreshments will be provided, free and open to the public.

Diverse Participation in the Revolutionary War

Wednesday, March 6, 2024
7 – 8 p.m. (Virtual)

Join Germanna Community College for a virtual panel conversation in celebration of the Fredericksburg Area Museum’s exhibition, Lafayette’s World: Revolutionary Ideals and the Limits of Freedom. Facilitated by the exhibit curator, Dr. Gaila Sims, this panel will explore contributions by African Americans, women, Indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community to the American Revolution. Germanna Community Conversations are a series of free educational events exploring timely topics through open dialogue and discussion with local and national experts.

Evening with an Expert: The Marquis de Lafayette, a True Friend of The Cause

Thursday, May 9, 2024
7 – 8:30 p.m.

The Marquis de Lafayette was a committed abolitionist, and often urged his American friends to end the system of slavery. He joined the French abolitionist organization “Society of the Friends of the Blacks,” and often advocated for Black emancipation in his correspondence with Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. In 1842, English abolitionist Thomas Clarkson wrote of Lafayette: “He was a true friend of the cause.” Dr. Gaila Sims, Curator of African American History and Special Projects, will speak about the Marquis’s abolitionist influences and his beliefs on the institution of slavery.

Tickets: $20 for Non-Members and $10 for Members

Lafayette’s World: Revolutionary Ideals and the Limits of Freedom is sponsored in part by Virginia Humanities, in partnership with the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission.