By Barbara Crane
Invited by President Monroe to commemorate the American Revolution and to celebrate America’s friendship with France, the Marquis de Lafayette sailed back to America in 1824 and devoted a year to his “Farewell Tour” of all 24 states at the time. He was accompanied by Fanny Wright.
Celebrating the 2024 bicentennial of Lafayette’s visit to New Rochelle, the Thomas Paine National Historical Association (TPNHA) and the Huguenot & New Rochelle Historical Association (H&NRHA) in cooperation with the American Friends of Lafayette (AFL) and the City of New Rochelle will offer free events on Sunday, August 18, such as a re-enactment of Lafayette’s welcome in New Rochelle and Westchester County.
The community gathering will feature local dignitaries, a Lafayette re-enactor, ceremonies, and family-friendly fun from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., all at Ruby Dee Park in front of the New Rochelle Public Library.
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (Lafayette) and Thomas Paine were closely aligned in the period leading up to the French Revolution. Paine lectured Lafayette and Jefferson in Paris in 1789 on democratic principles. In 1790, Lafayette sent the Key to the Bastille to George Washington through Thomas Paine.
All Lafayette Tour events in New Rochelle are free.
For details, visit CelebrateLafayette200.org