Bermuda-born author Eugene (Jean) Foggo Simon has been honoured in Ohio for her role in researching a prize-winning series, Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage.

Jean is vice-president of Oberlin Heritage Centre and chairperson for the 'Black Indians' Hidden Heritage' project which received the History Outreach Excellence Award from the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums on October 4 at an Ohio Historical Society luncheon in Columbus.

Jean was educated in Bermuda at the old Howard Academy, Bermuda College, Wilberforce University and Kent State University. She is an internationally certified municipal clerk, who only recently retired after working for 22 years for the City Council of the City of Oberlin, Ohio.

She now works as chair of the Oberlin City's Records Commission. Simultaneously, she maintains her Bermuda connection, being among other things the principal researcher for the St. David's Island Indian Committee.

Her most recent published work is The Legacy of St.David's Islanders, Bermuda: Their Voices Are Not Silent.

Pictured at the Columbus, Ohio luncheon, from left, are Bill Laidlaw (CEO, Ohio Historical Society), Rachel Tooker (COO, Ohio Historical Society), Sharon Fairchild Soucy (Oberlin Heritage Centre trustee), Greg Myers (president, Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums), Jean Foggo Simon, Pat Murphy (Oberlin Heritage Centre executive director) and Roberta Garcia (Oberlin Heritage Centre trustee).