Lafayette: America's French hero

NPR | By Eleanor Beardsley

Published July 3, 2026 at 4:21 PM EDT

As America marks 250 years, the remarkable friendship between Lafayette and George Washington still resonates across the Atlantic.

Eleanor Beardsley

Eleanor Beardsley began reporting from France for NPR in 2004 as a freelance journalist, following all aspects of French society, politics, economics, culture and gastronomy. Since then, she has steadily worked her way to becoming an integral part of the NPR Europe reporting team.

See stories by Eleanor Beardsley

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