A French Marquis in the New World: Lafayette and the American Revolution

When Lafayette offered his sincere support for the American cause, he set the stage for a French alliance. He set sail for America in early 1777 and proceeded to General Washington’s camp. The two stuck up a friendship: Lafayette admired Washington’s leadership and became a became a valued member of Washington’s close-knit military family, while Washington saw Lafayette as a close confident and adopted son, impressed with his dedication and courage. Lafayette even spent the harsh winter of 1777-78 with Washington and his men at Valley Forge.

At age 23, Lafayette played a crucial role in the 1781 Siege of Yorktown, serving as a division commander under Washington to trap British General Cornwallis. From the heights of Malvern Hill, Lafayette and his men surrounded the British force at Yorktown, holding them until reinforcements arrived, thus aiding in securing an end to the American Revolution. Lafayette returned to France where he continued to fight for liberty and equality for all mankind, in the midst of the French Revolution. He returned to the US in 1824 for a grand tour in which the people of every city he visited greeted him with cheers and exuberant celebrations. In May 1825, he visited Shelbyville, KY.

The speaker for this program, Julien Pierre Icher, is a 32-year-old French national, Founder, and President of The Lafayette Trail, Inc. (lafayette250.org). He is a graduate of the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, one of the few French Grandes Ecoles. Julien is the host and director of Follow The Frenchmen, a YouTube-based not-for-profit web series produced by The Lafayette Trail, Inc. exploring and interpreting the significance of Lafayette’s legacy, in particular the Frenchman’s tour of the U.S. in 1824-1825. Over the past few years, he has given over 115 lectures, primarily about Lafayette and the Farewell Tour.

Thhe With Liberty & Justice For All speaker series was created by the Shelby County Historical Society and the Countdown to USA 250! Committee. The SAR (Sons of the American Revolution, Gov. Isaac Shelby Chapter), DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution, Isaac Shelby Chapter), and the Painted Stone Settlers, Inc. are partnering with the Shelby County Historical Society to present this series of four programs. These 250th programs were made possible by a generous anonymous donor.

Programs are free and open to the public. Appetizers served from 6 – 6:30 pm.

Celebrating 250 years of history in Shelby County, Kentucky!