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Victoria College’s Museum of the Coastal Bend

Victoria College’s Museum of the Coastal Bend is continuing its John W. Stormont Lecture Series this fall with a lineup of speakers and events exploring Texas’ political, cultural, and archaeological history.

The Stormont Lecture Series offers a diverse range of topics and perspectives on Texas history, with three events scheduled for September, October, and November. Unless otherwise indicated, lectures are held at the Museum of the Coastal Bend on Victoria College’s Main Campus, 2200 E. Red River St. in Victoria. Admission is free and open to the public.

The series begins Thursday, Sept. 10, at 5:30 p.m., with Bobby Oliver, Adjunct Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Arlington. Oliver will examine the critical 30-year period following the end of Reconstruction in 1876 and how the foundations of Jim Crow voting restrictions were established in Texas.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, at 5:30 p.m., Sydney Salazar, a graduate researcher in historic preservation, will explore the vibrant social history of one of Victoria’s historic dance halls, The Club Westerner. Her presentation will highlight the legendary venue’s rich culture of Tejano music performances and Sunday afternoon “conjunto tardeadas.”

The fall series concludes Sunday, Nov. 1, with a special screening of “The Stones Are Speaking,” an award-winning documentary about the Gault Archaeological Site. Presented by Victoria College’s John W. Stormont Lecture Series in partnership with the DeWitt County Historical Commission, the film screening begins at 3 p.m. at the Cuero ISD Performing Arts Center, 920 E. Broadway St. in Cuero.

The film tells the story of archaeologist Mike Collins, who risked his career and personal resources to save 30 acres of looted land in Central Texas. The site ultimately was revealed as one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Americas, with evidence of people living in Central Texas as long as 20,000 years ago.

A question-and-answer session with members of the film team will follow the screening.

For more information about the John W. Stormont Lecture Series, visit MuseumOfTheCoastalBend.org or call (361) 582-2511.