Laurence Lafore
Encyclopedia
Laurence David Lafore an American historian.
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
The Lafore family was a Huguenot
family that fled France
following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
. The family fled first to England
and then to North America
, landing in 1701.
The Lafores of Pennsylvania
were relatively distinguished and Lafore followed his father and grandfather in leading a Philadelphia charity called the "Société des Bienfaisances Françaises," which was founded in the late 18th century to aid the aristocratic refugees fleeing the Reign of Terror
of the French Revolution
. It was the original intent of Marie Antoinette
or her supporters that she would make her way to Philadelphia and build a new life there.
Lafore graduated from Swarthmore College
and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
.
One of Lafore's brothers, John A. Lafore, Jr.
, was a United States congressman from Pennsylvania and a president of the American Kennel Club
.
, France
. He later spoke of the contrast between the superficial luxury of the palace where they had their offices and the freezing conditions, which required personnel to wear overcoats indoors.
, where he taught until his retirement in May 1984.
, he is best known for three works of history: The Long Fuse (1965), about the origins of World War I
; The End To Glory (1970), about the origins of World War II
; and Days Of Emperor and Clown: The Italo-Ethiopian War, 1935-1936 (1973).
resulted in their 1965 book Philadelphia: The Unexpected City. He later wrote the 1975 book American Classic about his adopted city of Iowa City, Iowa
.
Background
Lafore was born into a wealthy family off the Main LinePennsylvania Main Line
The Main Line is an unofficial historical and socio-cultural region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising a collection of affluent towns built along the old Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad which ran northwest from downtown Philadelphia parallel to Lancaster Avenue , a road...
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
The Lafore family was a Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
family that fled France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
. The family fled first to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and then to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, landing in 1701.
The Lafores of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
were relatively distinguished and Lafore followed his father and grandfather in leading a Philadelphia charity called the "Société des Bienfaisances Françaises," which was founded in the late 18th century to aid the aristocratic refugees fleeing the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. It was the original intent of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
or her supporters that she would make her way to Philadelphia and build a new life there.
Lafore graduated from Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
.
One of Lafore's brothers, John A. Lafore, Jr.
John A. Lafore, Jr.
John Armand Lafore, Jr. was an American politician and president of the American Kennel Club. He was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
, was a United States congressman from Pennsylvania and a president of the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
.
World War II
For short period during the post-war reconstruction period, Lafore worked for the American State Department in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He later spoke of the contrast between the superficial luxury of the palace where they had their offices and the freezing conditions, which required personnel to wear overcoats indoors.
Academic career
Lafore joined the faculty at Swarthmore College in 1946 and taught there until 1969. In that year he joined the history faculty at the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, where he taught until his retirement in May 1984.
History
While Lafore published informally in numerous outlets, including TV GuideTV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, he is best known for three works of history: The Long Fuse (1965), about the origins of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; The End To Glory (1970), about the origins of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; and Days Of Emperor and Clown: The Italo-Ethiopian War, 1935-1936 (1973).
Historic Preservation
Lafore's friendship with fellow Swarthmore professor Sarah Lee LippincottSarah Lee Lippincott
Sarah Lee Lippincott also known as Sarah Lee Lippincott Zimmerman is an American astronomer. She is Professor Emerita of Astronomy at Swarthmore College and Director Emerita of the college's Sproul Observatory....
resulted in their 1965 book Philadelphia: The Unexpected City. He later wrote the 1975 book American Classic about his adopted city of Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.