Franco-American Friendship Society

The Franco-American Friendship Society (FAFS) is a fraternal organization headquartered in New York City. It was established in 1791 by Dr. Thomas Black, a New York physician who had served alongside French volunteers in the American Revolution. Membership in the Society is open to all men who profess belief in Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. The mission of the FAFS is to bring the people of North America and France together in mutual harmony and respect. Toward that end, the Society sponsors English lessons for French immigrants, French lessons for English speakers, donation drives, and other events. The American ambassador in Paris, William Short, was instrumental in promoting the growth of the FAFS, which he described as an organization "in the best spirit of charity". FAFS halls are located in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and the Canadian city of Montreal.

In 1792, the FAFS began to recruit men into a paramilitary force calling itself the Queen's Association. The Queen's Association formed to protect and fight in the name of Marie Thérèse Charlotte de Bourbon, who was then thirteen years old. Many Queen's Association members were wealthy, young men who had missed the opportunity to serve in the Continental Army under George Washington.