After two days of celebrations in Yorktown, we journeyed a short distance to the College of William and Mary which is across the street from Colonial Williamsburg.
Established in 1693, the College of William and Mary feted Lafayette on October 20, 1824 with a special surprise while on his Grand Tour of America.
MUSIC
This 200th anniversary reenactment began with the ringing of the Wren Bell, followed by music from The Gentlemen of the College and words from the president.
QUEEN’S GUARD
As the Queens’ Guard marched down from the steps, the doors suddenly flung open…
LAFAYETTE
…and Lafayette (portrayed by Colonial Williamsburg’s Mark Schneider) greeted the crowd!
NATIONAL ANTHEMS
After the singing of La Marseillaise and The Star Spangled Banner, the college presented an honorary diploma to Lafayette.
HONORARY DIPLOMA
While the professor of Classical Studies read the diploma in Latin (as the original is enscripted), one of the students read a French translation, then another read an English translation.
Meanwhile on display at the Swem Library’s Special Collections Research Center (located on campus), was the original diploma.
This honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree recently arrived on loan from the Chambrun Foundation who preserves and maintains Lafayette’s estate, Chateau de Lagrange, and its archives. – College of William and Mary
LAFAYETTE MEMORABILIA
Also on display at the library is a collection of Lafayette memorabilia…
…from his time in the 1781 Virginia Campaign of the American Revolution…
…and of his 1824 visit while on his Grand Tour of America…
JAMES ARMISTEAD LAFAYETTE
This section tells the amazing story of the slave who worked for Lafayette as a double agent, and then was freed with the help of Lafayette.
Thus, James Armistead changed his surname to Lafayette!
