Title

James Armistead Lafayette - Facsimile of the Marquis de Lafayette's original certificate..., 1784. Creator: Unknown.

Caption

James Armistead Lafayette - Facsimile of the Marquis de Lafayette's original certificate commending James Armistead Lafayette for his revolutionary war service, with portrait after John B. Martin., 1784-11-21. Lafayette was an enslaved African American who served the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War under the Marquis, and later received a legislative emancipation. As a double agent, he reported the activities of Benedict Arnold after he had defected to the British, and of Lord Cornwallis during the run-up to the Battle of Yorktown. He fed the British false information while disclosing very accurate and detailed accounts to the Americans.

Credit line

Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art

Reference

HRM23A18_341

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

License type

Rights managed

Available size

154,7Mb (7,3Mb) / 21,0in x 28,6in / 6301 x 8583 (300dpi)

Keywords

people black male library man men country patriotism guy letter color war text location century patriotic spy handwriting rebellion document soldiers soldier revolution concept passport African American African-American B&W signature certificate afro-american slavery lettering patriot public library MONOCHROME slave United States of America Colour black & white black and white B W white and black recommendation 18th century American Revolutionary War Eighteenth Century New York Public Library NYPL heritage American America USA American Revolution 1775-1783 American War of Independence 1775-1783 portrait united states Unknown Gilbert Lafayette double agent cultural heritage Black History Heritage Art enslaved person Marquis de Lafayette Gilbert du Motier du Motier Lafayette Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier documents Motier Gilbert du Marqui John Blennerhassett Martin Martin John Blennerhassett John B. Martin Martin John B. Martin John Blennerhasset John Blennerhasset Martin James Armistead Lafayette James Armistead Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier