The Lafayette Society promotes awareness of the many contributions to America’s freedom by the Marquis de Lafayette, the French hero of the American Revolutionary War.
We honor him for his generosity, patriotism, leadership, opposition to slavery and oppression, and support of human rights for all by encouraging these qualities in the civic character of Fayetteville, North Carolina, the first city in the United States named for him.
The Lafayette Society sponsors two major events open to the public each year:
- A membership luncheon-social in early March
- A city-wide Lafayette Birthday Celebration the weekend after Labor Day
We strive to fulfill our mission statement in numerous other ways, including the following activities. And we’re always looking for people to help! If you’d like to get involved with any of the activities below, email us or call (910) 630-7412. (Or check out our committee listings for more information.)
Since the Medaille Lafayette (Lafayette Medal) was first awarded in November 2017, the Lafayette Society and the US Army Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School have forged a bond in recognizing today’s special operator soldiers. The Medal is awarded to a graduate of each of the Master Leader Courses at the school who has demonstrated General Lafayette’s values of patriotism, generosity and leadership. This is an opportunity for an organization steeped in history to recognize soldiers who are making and preserving our country’s history, while embracing the values of General Lafayette. The award is presented about seven times per year. If you would like to help present the medal or would like more information, please contact us!
Fayetteville State University Endowment: Proceeds from the Lafayette Society Fund for the Study of the Age of Revolutions, Emancipation, and Civil Rights, in partnership with the FSU Black History Scholars Association, are used for lectures, field trips, and related educational activities.
Methodist University Endowment: Proceeds from the Lafayette Society Fund are used to purchase new materials for the Methodist University Lafayette Collection, to assist in physical improvement to the Lafayette Room in Davis Memorial Library, and to promote the scholarly study of Lafayette.
Fayetteville Technical Community College: FTCC presents an annual Lafayette lecture. Previous topics have included “Why Is Our City Called Fayetteville? Lafayette’s Life, Ideas, and American Tour of 1824-25” and “Frank Porter Graham and the Rise of Modern North Carolina.”
Stanley Seay, our local professional Lafayette re-enactor performs at Lafayette Society events, schools, and at other organizations for performance fees.
Graduates of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber [of Commerce] Leadership Fayetteville program are presented with a copy of the book “Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership by the Idealist General” by Marc Leepson.
The Society provides a scholarship for a high school student to attend the Hugh Shelton Leadership Challenge summer camp at Methodist University.
The Society provides a scholarship to BSA Scouts for scouts from our local Lafayette District of the Occoneechee Council to attend a week of scout summer camp.
In conjunction with the Fayetteville – Saint Avold Friendship Alliance, the Society supports the Sister City partnership with St. Avold France, which celebrates the Franco-American friendship as well as military ties between Fayetteville, NC, and St. Avold, France. The Lorraine American Cemetery, located near Saint Avold, is the largest American World War II military cemetery in Europe.
And don’t forget to take a walk through the recently renovated Lafayette Plaza at Cross Creek Park and say hello to the statue of Lafayette!
