Affirming Human Rights and Democracy at the 2024–25 Bicentennial Celebrations of Lafayette’s 19th-Century Visit to America

Historians have long viewed Lafayette as an important figure in early French-American relations, a notable French commander in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and a widely condemned scapegoat for both the right-wing and left-wing factions of the French Revolution. His public and symbolic roles in both the United States and France, however, linked Lafayette to wider political causes such as the creation of representative government institutions, the abolition of slavery, and the struggles for independence in early nineteenth-century Europe and South America.

His return to the United States in 1824-25 (at the invitation of President James Monroe and the US Congress) thus evolved into an enormous public celebration of early American national identity as well as the enduring ideals of the Declaration of Independence.

The bicentennial commemorations of Lafayette’s nineteenth-century tour in 2024-25 became important because they pushed participants to reflect on why Lafayette’s life and actions still “speak” to them in the 21^st century. This paper draws on interviews with people who attended the bicentennial celebrations and on speeches at these events to analyze how the anniversaries of past events can contribute to empowering historical knowledge and to new public or personal engagement with the political legacies of earlier generations.

The paper notes the ongoing fascination with the lives of courageous people, the significance of cross-cultural interactions, the struggle to abolish slavery, the defense of human rights, and the principles of democratic government. In most general terms, this paper uses the recent “memories” and celebrations of Lafayette’s 1824-25 tour as an example of how historical knowledge contributes to identities and public action in the present.