A new historical lecture series will kick off this month with a visit from an American historian who has studies Bermuda's native American connections.

The 'History Speaks' lectures series organised by the Bermuda Archives starts on June 23 and runs to October 31.

As part of the lecture series overseas guest historians will be teamed with an up-and-coming Bermuda historian, thus providing an important opportunity for the latter to use their own research studies and presentation skills.

Dr. Rosalyn Howard, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Director of North American Indian Studies at the University of Central Florida will be the first to speak. She will be paired with Bermuda's own St. Clair Brinkie Tucker.

"Dr. Howard has conducted extensive research on the St. David's Islanders," said Bermuda Archives director Karla Hayward. "This has led her to say 'the unique culture of St. David's Islanders was forged in a crucible of ethnic diversity and geographic isolation'."

Native North Americans and Africans arrived as enslaved peoples from the 17th to the 19th centuries, as well as European indentured servants and military men.

"This fusion gave the St. David's Islanders a distinct physical appearance that led to taunts of 'Mohawk' by outsiders," said Ms Hayward.

"Additionally, until the 1930s, there was no bridge connecting the island to the 'mainland' severely restricting their interaction with mainland culture.

"Both of these factors contributed to the formation of a cohesive, insular, and self-sufficient community."

Ms Hayward, noted that historians taking part in the monthly lectures will speak on diverse topics — some popular ones as well as others on lesser-known aspects of our past.

Local historian, Mr. Tucker has committed much of his life to promoting a better understanding and appreciation for the St. David's Islanders' ancestry, and he played a key role in the formation of the St. David's Island Indian Committee.

"Bermuda owes much to the indefatigable work of Mr. Tucker, in particular for the now established and very popular 'Reconnection Celebrations'," said Ms Hayward. "This year's events take place in St. David's on the weekend of June 20."

The lectures over the coming months will touch on a wide range of topics from Richard Norwood's survey in 1663 to the Quaker experience in Bermuda, to the witchcraft trials.

The monthly lecture programme, "History Speaks", has been developed by Ms Hayward, to highlight overlooked aspects of Bermuda history recently explored by the invited speakers.

These scholars used the records and documents at the Bermuda Archives as their primary source of information and research.

Up-and-coming professionals from both Bermuda and overseas will forward valuable new interpretations of Bermuda history.

The lectures, are part of the Bermuda Archives continuing programme of events in support of Bermuda's 400 Anniversary.

The free lectures will be held in Cathedral Hall, adjacent to the Anglican Cathedral on Church Street, and will start at 7.30 p.m.

For more information contact Karla Hayward at 295-2007 or email khayward@gov.bm.