Fayette County’s namesake honored at bicentennial commemoration
At only 19 years old, a young aristocrat from south-central France embarked on a challenging and lengthy journey to volunteer with the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington.
In a letter to his wife, the young man expressed his admiration for the new nation: “The welfare of America is closely linked to the happiness of all humanity; she will become a respectable and secure refuge for virtue, integrity, tolerance, equality and peaceful liberty,” he wrote in 1777.
On Friday, residents of Fayette County commemorated Marquis de Lafayette’s pivotal role in the nation’s creation, reflecting on the enduring ideals of American exceptionalism and democracy.
“This commemoration is more than a history lesson. It is a reminder of what binds us…the belief that courage and conviction can move us forward,” said Muriel Nuttall, executive director of Fayette Chamber of Commerce.
The patriotic ceremony which took place at the State Theatre Center For the Arts in downtown Uniontown featured songs and people from the local and state legislature along with musical performances performed by the VFW band from Post 8543.
However, no honorary ceremony could be complete without hearing from the man himself.
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (his full name, comma and all) spoke to the crowd about his respect for the United States and how the birth of the nation brought forth the ideological hope of what freedom really means.
“I’m reminded of the sound and virtuous feeling and the truly Republican spirit in support of institutions founded on the rights of man, by which the United States are held up as an object of admiration, as a noble, evident, practical model to the rest of the world,” Lafayette said.
The reenactor who took on the personage of the French aristocrat also made reference to how much he enjoyed coming back to his namesake, Fayette County.
“My delight is greatly enhanced by the affectionate welcome I receive in this county and in Uniontown,” he said.
And while the afternoon was built around the pageantry of patriotism and the roots of the county, 13-year-old Wesley Smolenski, who would later interview Laffayette for Fayette County TV, said Friday’s ceremony served as a reminder to why it is important to reflect on history.
“If you don’t know what happened in the past, it can repeat itself,” Smolenski said.