Episode 6 - "Fame and Infamy Part 2"

Authors

Cayde Anderson
Finley Anderson
Avery Blocker
Ava Jasso
Hal Johnson
Eleanor McCoy
David Pope
Stephanie Smith

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2024

Abstract

Main Question(s):

What was Lafayette’s role in abolition and with the oppressed in France?

What did Lafayette’s trip to America look like?

Episode Description:
In the second part of Fame and Infamy, we dive into Lafayette’s complex views on abolition and his famous return to America. Was he truly an abolitionist, or was his gradual approach just another form of self-serving posturing? We examine his involvement in the Society of the Friends of the Blacks, his controversial plantation experiment, and the broader implications of his stance on slavery.

Then, we fast forward to his triumphant return to the United States in 1824—a rockstar-level tour that saw parades, fistfights over who would introduce him, and the renaming of towns in his honor. Why did Americans idolize Lafayette so intensely, and could such a phenomenon happen today?

Join us for this lively discussion as we analyze Lafayette’s enduring legacy, his contradictions, and the historical hype that made him America’s favorite Frenchman.

Recommended Citation

Anderson, Cayde; Anderson, Finley; Blocker, Avery; Jasso, Ava; Johnson, Hal; McCoy, Eleanor; Pope, David; and Smith, Stephanie, "Episode 6 - "Fame and Infamy Part 2"" (2024). Who Cares about The Marquis de Lafayette?. 9.
https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/lafayette-podcast/9