Press Release
April 15, 2015
Contact: Rachel Kellum
Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-0793
rkellum@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/historycenter
Oklahoma History Center to Present Lafayette Live!
Oklahoma City, Okla. — Mark your calendars and join the Oklahoma History Center staff in welcoming the Marquis de Lafayette to the Oklahoma History Center on May 14 and 15. An evening program will be held on Thursday, May 14. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the program will begin at 7 p.m. On Friday, May 15, a matinee performance will begin at 2 p.m., and two special student programs will be held at 10:30 a.m. and noon. All programs are free and open to the public; however, reservations are required for Friday's school programs.
Nicknamed "The Hero of the Two Worlds," Marquis de Lafayette was a skilled military commander who played a critical role in the American Revolution. Born in France in 1757, Lafayette became involved in the cause of the American colonists at a young age. At nineteen years old, he set sail for America to join in the fight. Shortly thereafter, he struck up a friendship with George Washington and set about building one of the most meaningful and influential friendships in the life of either man.
Benjamin Goldman will portray Lafayette. He has performed at Valley Forge and Independence National Historical Parks in Pennsylvania; for Mount Vernon, George Washington's home in Virginia; and for President George W. Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the White House, among many other venues and audiences. He also worked for several years as a storyteller with Historic Philadelphia, Inc., where he wrote and sometimes translated interpretive stories into French. A graduate of Lower Merion High School, he received a B.A. in French and dramatic literature from New York University in 2008, and in 2011 received a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Come hear the fascinating tales of colonial America and the fight for independence, and get to know a little more about the founding of the United States. The program will be followed by a question and answer period.
For more information or to make reservations, please contact the Oklahoma History Center Education Department at education@okhistory.org or 405-522-3602. This program is sponsored in part by SONIC, America's Drive-In.
The Oklahoma History Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains 31 museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
