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Primary sourceDocument21 November 1784

Certificate for James Armistead Lafayette

Marquis de Lafayette · 21 November 1784

An engraving combining a portrait of James Armistead with Lafayette's 1784 written testimonial praising his service as a spy.

Lafayette wrote this testimonial for James Armistead, showing his role in recognizing an enslaved spy's service and supporting his freedom.

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Engraving of a man's head and shoulders in a high-collared coat and cravat, above a handwritten manuscript certificate signed by Lafayette dated November 21, 1784, attesting to James's service as a spy.
Engraving of James Armistead Lafayette with Lafayette's certificate of service, 1784.

About this source

What it is

This engraving shows a portrait of James Armistead, based on a painting by John B. Martin, together with a facsimile of a certificate written and signed by the Marquis de Lafayette in November 1784. The certificate records James's service as a spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Why it matters

James, an enslaved man, risked his life gathering intelligence for the American cause. Lafayette's written testimonial supported James's later petition for freedom, which he eventually won; he then took the name James Armistead Lafayette. The artifact reveals Lafayette's personal involvement in recognizing the contributions of an enslaved man and hints at his broader antislavery views.

Look closer

  • Why would a written testimonial from a general like Lafayette matter so much for an enslaved man seeking freedom?
  • What does it tell us that James needed this kind of proof at all?
  • What questions does this document leave unanswered about James's own life and feelings?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Marquis de Lafayette on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Painted allegory of the 1789 French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. A title plaque reads 'Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen' above two tablets of text. A seated woman with chains and a standing winged figure with a wand flank the plaque, under a radiant eye in a triangle.Document

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Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette · 9 June 1778

Handwritten manuscript page numbered 80, dated April 1788 at top, in cursive ink on ruled paper. Text discusses constitutional ratification, amendments, and a Bill of Rights and trial by jury. Bound volume edge visible on left.Letter

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Letter from George Washington to Lafayette, 28 April 1788

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Oval oil portrait of a man with reddish hair, shown from the chest up against a dark background. He wears a yellow-buff coat with brown buttons, a black stock, a black sash across his chest, and a gold epaulette with silver stars on his shoulder.Painting

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Portrait of Lafayette

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