The American Friends of Lafayette
Speaker Series
2025-2026 Upcoming Speakers:
Friday, November 14th at 7:30pm EST - Stephanie Dray is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into eight languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. Stephanie Dray has written books about Adrienne Lafayette, Eliza Schuyler Hamilton and many others. Her newest upcoming book is about Abigail Adams. Stephanie Dray will discuss these women and their relationship with General Lafayette. There will be Q&A time for everyone to engage with Stephanie personally. We will also auction off signed books. On Friday, November 14, 2025 at 7:30pm, grab yourself a cocktail (if you are so inclined) and join the happy hour by clicking: HERE
Wednesday, December 3rd at 7:30pm EST - Ryan Cole the author of the brand new book: The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic. The Last Adieu narrates Lafayette’s farewell tour, capturing both its spectacular pageantry and emotional impact—not only from Lafayette’s perspective, but through eyewitness accounts and recollections of the everyday Americans who participated in the great celebration. Co-starring the swarm of fascinating characters Lafayette encountered across the American landscape—elderly founding fathers, populist politicians, idealistic reformers—this is not simply the record of an incredible journey, but a panorama of a rising America and a chronicle of a time when, as Lafayette wrote, memories of its Revolution came back to life, and its citizens were united in gratitude to the men who had won it. Zoom link forthcoming.
Tuesday, December 16th at 7:30pm EST - Mike Teti will present; Secrets and Alliances: How the December 1775 Carpenters’ Hall Meetings Shaped Franco-American Relations. The quiet meetings at Carpenters’ Hall in December 1775 marked the first spark of a partnership that would change history. From these secret beginnings, the Franco-American relationship grew through covert aid and careful diplomacy into a full alliance by 1778—one that ultimately brought the ships, soldiers, and strength needed to secure independence by 1781. Please join Carpenters’ Hall docent Mike Teti as he brings to life the politics, personalities, and setting behind the secret December 1775 meetings—an overlooked turning point in the birth of the Franco-American alliance. Mike is a lifelong enthusiast of early Philadelphia history and an active volunteer, tour guide, and speaker in the region. He serves with organizations such as the Independence Historical Trust, Carpenters’ Hall, Historic Gloria Dei Preservation,Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides, and the American Friends of Lafayette. Mike has led educational tours, organized historical events, and contributed to preservation projects, sharing his knowledge of Philadelphia’s founding era with diverse audiences. His work reflects a deep commitment to preserving and promoting the city’s rich historical heritage. Zoom link forthcoming.
Wednesday, January 7th at 7:30pm EST - the American Friends of Lafayette launched a new publication: Lafayette and the Enduring Struggle for Human Rights and Democratic Governments. This book memorializes the presentations at the Fairfield University Lafayette Symposium, held on September 7, 2024. Thanks to the amazing generosity of Fairfield University and AFL members Susan Joy and Marc Minker, proceeds of the first printing will be to the benefit of the AFL. Editors Alan Hoffman, Lloyd Kramer, and Diane Shaw will describe the process of making the book and will talk about the importance of this publication in the study of General Lafayette. Zoom link forthcoming.
Wednesday, January 21st at 7:30pm EST - Robert Crout, will be presenting "Lafayette's other Tours" which will include information on Lafayette's mini tour of the United States in 1784 and his tour of France in 1829. Fascinating stuff !!! Robert Crout is an Affiliate Professor in the Department of History at the College of Charleston. He has a nearly 50-year history of studying, teaching, and writing about Lafayette and the transatlantic revolutionary era. After working eight years on French involvement in the American Revolution for his doctorate, he served from 1978 to 1981 at Cornell as, first, Associate Editor, then, Co-Editor of the “Lafayette Papers Project” with Lafayette scholar, Stanley J. Idzerda. Crout later co-edited papers projects of Thomas Jefferson at Princeton, and James Madison at the University of Virginia. While teaching in Charleston, South Carolina since 1989, he has continued to write numerous scholarly articles and essays about Lafayette. He has served as Chair of the European Section of the Southern Historical Association and was a Fellow at Harvard’s Houghton Library, the Newberry Library, and the Gilder-Lehrman Institute. Crout is President Emeritus of the American Friends of Lafayette. He intends to follow a book on Lafayette’s tour with a comprehensive biography of Lafayette. He was the first American to work in the Lafayette family archives at Chateau de LaGrange. Zoom link forthcoming.The AFL hosts engaging and exciting online virtual programs. The topics vary, but always tie back to our hero, The General Lafayette. Click on the links below to view our recorded sessions:
Speaker Series - Stanley Idzerda and the Lafayette Papers
Speaker Series - The Battle of Gloucester 1777
Speaker Series - Taking a Ringside Seat...
Speaker Series - Interview Mark Schneider
Speaker Series - Interview Mike Duncan
Lafayette: Symbol of Franco-American Friendship