Program Description
Event Details
Jeffersonville Township Public will host a presentation by New York Times, USA Today, and Wallstreet Journal best-selling author Stephanie Dray. This presentation is part of an event series to mark the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s 1825 visit to Jeffersonville. Among the truest believers in the principles of the American Revolution, Lafayette left a life of wealth and prestige in France to repeatedly risk his life and fortune to promote liberty and equality in the Americas and Europe. Throughout his life, Lafayette was known for his generous spirit: he clothed the men who fought with him and fed countless hungry peasants during a famine in France, among other noble deeds. None of this would have been possible without the political savvy, financial management, and dauntless courage of Madame Lafayette, the general’s wife, Adrienne.
Join Stephanie Dray as she explores the legacy of the Marquis de Lafayette and the remarkable women whose lives he impacted. In this engaging presentation, Stephanie delves into Lafayette’s role in the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and both World Wars, drawing from her latest novel, The Women of Chateau Lafayette.
Discover how Lafayette’s birthplace, Chateau de Chavaniac, became a refuge for Jewish children during the Holocaust, thanks to American war heroine Beatrice Chanler. Learn about the secret tunnels, false identities, and wartime love affairs that defined this legacy.
Stephanie highlights Lafayette’s unique relationships with the women of his era, showcasing their vital roles in defending his legacy. This presentation offers historical insight and narrative intrigue into the inspiring resilience and courage of the women who changed the world as they protected Lafayette’s legacy and home.
Jeffersonville Township Public Library would like thank the American Friends of Lafayette for arranging this special program. We would also like to acknowledge the generous support of the SoIN Tourism Bureau, the Bales Foundation, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Indiana, and Indiana Humanities in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Humanities. This presentation is recommended for teen and adult patrons.