How did those already here greet Western explorers?

To close out the 2014-2015 season of Flagler College’s Community Lecture Series, Historic City News was informed that Dr. Lori Lee, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, will speak on the topic of the interplay between indigenous peoples and the Western explorers who encountered them.

Lee’s discussion is entitled “The Steel Crown: Indigenous Responses to Exploration.” It will take place on Tuesday, April 14th at 10:00 a.m. in Flagler College’s historic Solarium.

“Exploration involves the investigation of unknown regions. Unknown, that is, to explorers,” Lee said. “Yet most of these regions were both known and inhabited by indigenous peoples.”

In a presentation drawing on case studies from North America, South America, and Africa, Lee will examine the responses of indigenous people to ever-increasing exploration. A selection of readings relevant to Lee’s research is posted online.

Professor Lee earned her Ph.D. from Syracuse University with a focus on consumerism, social relations, and slavery in antebellum Virginia. She has also actively researched topics including the African diaspora, race, migration, public archaeology, and anthropology.

The programs take place monthly. Tickets are $5 per person for a single lecture, or $15 for four lectures. Active military personnel may attend at no charge. Lectures begin at 10 am in the Ponce Hall Solarium at Flagler College, 74 King St. Reservations are required, and space is limited. The lecture will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a coffee and pastry reception. Call (904) 826-8617 for reservations or more information, or visit www.flagler.edu/news-events/community-events/lectures/community-lecture-series.

Flagler’s Community Lecture Series events have recently been relocated to the College’s stunning domed Solarium, which rises from the center of Ponce de Leon Hall and is flanked by symmetrical roof terraces and twin towers. These dramatic outdoor spaces afford unparalleled views of the city, the nearby Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.

2015 marks the eighth anniversary of the Flagler College Community Lecture Series, which was founded in 2007 to offer the St. Augustine community an opportunity to explore topics covering arts, religion, politics, culture, history, economics, and more with experts on the Flagler faculty.

This year also marks the 450th year of our city’s official founding and presents an opportunity to examine what was occurring in our city and world 450 years ago through the present day. The 2015 Community Lecture Series presenters are scholars who will focus on this year’s theme: Exploration: Passions, Implications, and Reflections.

If you are a person with a disability and need reasonable accommodations, please contact Lynn Francisco at 904-819-6460. Sign Language Interpreters are available upon request with a minimum of three days’ notice.