On May 19, the Marquis de Lafayette will once again stride up from the banks of the Ohio River to greet the people of Cincinnati. Well, a historical interpreter dressed as Gen. Lafayette will do so. It's part of a celebration commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Revolutionary War hero's grand tour of the United States that occurred 50 years after the American Revolution.
"I think Americans aren't necessarily reminded often enough of how unique that this great experiment of the United States and democracy is," explains Cameron Shandersky, past master of the Cincinnati-Lafayette Masonic Lodge No. 483. "The Marquis de Lafayette left a life of nobility. He had an easy life, wealthy; and even against the king's wishes, came because he supported the ideals of democracy and self determination that Europe had never had.
"He believed in the American ideal, and was willing to not only leave his life of leisure, but was injured in battles ... simply because he wanted to support the ideals of freedom. He tried to take that back to the French, and he was very instrumental in changing the political landscape in France as well. We need to remember that and celebrate that."
The French nobleman fought with the Continental Army, most notably commanding troops at the Siege of Yorktown, the final major battle that led to American independence. Fifty years later, he was celebrated during a return tour of the new United States.
Gen. Lafayette's grand tour brought him to Covington, Kentucky, where he took a barge across the Ohio River to Cincinnati's public landing on May 19, 1825. He was quickly whisked to the Cincinnati Hotel and cheered by a large crowd followed by a grand ball.
Along with the historical interpreter, the commemoration will include patriotic music from a children's choir from Cincinnati Public Schools, a soloist from Sycamore High School singing the U.S. and French national anthems, a William Henry Harrison interpreter, and a presentation from Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney.
About the general's interpreter
Michael Halbert is the historical interpreter who will be personifying Gen. Lafayette. He's been doing so for about seven years, and spent many more prior to that doing reenactments. The key difference, he notes, is reenactors recreate events, whereas interpreters reenact events and engage with the public as the historical figure.
"Living history 鈥� which is what this essentially is called 鈥� allows the historical interpreter to pass on a truer picture of the historic episode or the historic person in a way that should be understandable to the public, and at the same time, entertaining as well," he tells WVXU.
Halbert has done a lot of research about the Marquis de Lafayette and has portrayed him for a number of years, including most recently at other commemorations along the Lafayette tour trail.
"I try to recreate what he said, where he said it, for the event at which he said it, because sometimes there were multiple events in one city. And so I will try to say the words he said for that event," says Halbert. "In other words, if the city of Cincinnati hosts a ball for him and there was a speech, and he responded to thank people for the ball or whatever else, then I'm going to use those words."
He'll also use his research to expand on the Lafayette's recorded remarks in Cincinnati to make the presentation more informative and educational.
"That gives people the ability to hear what was said that day, but then to get a better impression about what Lafayette would have been like going through the States at this time on this tour," he says, adding it's nice to hear when people tell him afterward that they learned something new.
Event details
is organized by Cincinnati-area chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution, the American Friends of Lafayette, the Cincinnati-Lafayette Masonic Lodge No. 483, and the Alliance Francaise de Cincinnati.
That evening, a companion dinner and costume ball is planned at the Cincinnati Masonic Center. Julien Icher, president and founder of The Lafayette Trail, Inc., is the keynote speaker.
The following day, there will be a tribute to Francis "Fanny" Wright at Spring Grove Cemetery. Wright was a Scottish-born social reformer and abolitionist who accompanied Lafayette on his tour. She ultimately settled in Cincinnati in 1835 and died here in 1852. She's buried in Spring Grove Cemetery.
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