Return to “The Land Of Genuine Freedom”

I visited an exhibit at Lafayette College in Easton, PA, celebrating the bicentennial of Lafayette’s return to America, a country he referred to as “The Land of Genuine Freedom.”

Displays included all kinds of Lafayette memorabilia (what we would call merch) that people purchased back in 1824 to show their appreciation for the legendary Marquis, the only surviving general from the American Revolution.

Crowds welcome Lafayette to NYC! (Note the vendor on the right, the one in the red coat with a display of Lafayette-themed wares in front of him.)

The crowds definitely gave Lafayette a rock star welcome when he sailed into New York harbor on August 15, 1824. Estimates of the crowd size vary, but this exhibit went with 80,000, approximately 60% of the population of NYC at that time. (As a comparison with real rock stars, the Beatles only drew a crowd of about 4,000 when they landed in 1964.)

Some historians mark Lafayette’s arrival in New York as the city’s first true social media event. The crowds were certainly in a frenzy. And one of the best ways to tap into that adoration was by offering Lafayette merch!

Lafayette was also celebrated in literature and music. Here is a heartfelt, if slightly awkward, acrostic poem written to welcome the legendary Frenchman back to America:

Let Europe’s Kings display their pomp and pride,

And all the sacred rights of man deride,

Fame’s noblest notes shall sound aloud for thee,

As with united voices all agree,

Your motto is, The World Shall be Set Free.

Ever shall freedom’s son’s shew forth thy praise

To thee shall Poets consecrate their lays

Thy name shall sound through ev’ry clime and age,

Ever shall gild the bright historic page.

                                                 Lafayette’s March by Caroline Clark

Lafayette was greeted by parades with marching bands everywhere he went, and the exhibit included a copy of a work created just for the occasion: “Lafayette’s March” by Caroline Clark.

Best of all, the exhibit offered a treasure trove of Lafayette-themed goods. The curator, Ana Ramirez Luhrs, describes 1824 as an upbeat time for the country. The nation was preparing for its 50th Anniversary, and “with Lafayette’s visit, America was reliving, in a way, The Spirit of ‘76.”

Apparently, one of the ways that optimism displayed itself was via rampant commercialization. I’m not sure any product escaped the stamp of Lafayette’s visage.

                                                              Lafayette Gloves

My favorite was an elegant pair of ladies kid gloves with Lafayette’s face stamped on them—”to always have the Marquis at hand!” I also liked the jewelry, including a cameo-like necklace and ring. And for the gentlemen, what could be better than a big old belt buckle with Lafayette’s face.? Or a Lafayette ribbon to pin to a lapel.

Household goods were also not immune with glassware, plates, bottles, pitchers etc. all sporting the Marquis’s likeness. The Lafayette craze was out of control, and this excerpt from a newspaper article of the time says it all:

                                                     From a newspaper of the time

This exhibit was so much fun. It certainly made me realize that we have been relentless promoters for centuries. But, I was also deeply touched by the boundless love Americans felt for the incomparable Marquis de Lafayette!