Jean Laffite Revealed Lecture and Book Signing

2328 Broadway Avenue J,Galveston TX 77550

13 November, 2021

Description

REVISIT THIS LECTURE WITH THE AUTHORS AND DISCOVER THEIR LATEST FINDINGS Following their sold-out Galveston Historical Foundation presentation in May, researchers Dr. Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough are returning to reveal their latest archival findings related to the life of pirate Jean Laffite. They will discuss their groundbreaking new book, “Jean Laffite Revealed: Unraveling One of America’s Longest Running Mysteries,” released in March by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press. Their work provides evidence from primary documents and artifacts to establish that Laffite faked his death in the 1820s, hid for a time in Cuba, and then re-entered the United States using the alias “Lorenzo Ferrer,” settling first in Mississippi and then in North Carolina. They also found his sword – with his hand-etched signature – in the Freemason Lodge he helped to found in 1852. Participants will have the opportunity to hear about the very latest developments in their research, including results from laboratory testing on recently unearthed Laffite documents. As well, the team will discuss extraordinary new leads indicating that a man who many believed was Laffite’s son with his mistress Louisa in Lincolnton, NC, has finally been found after decades of attempts to locate where he went after he left North Carolina in the mid-1800s. Oliphant and Yarbrough are still actively on the hunt for new information, and their presentation will take the audience on an exhilarating ride through history, adding new historical perspectives and a lot of fun along the way. Join this mother-daughter research duo for a fresh and innovative look at the pirate who once called Galveston home. Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) was formed as the Galveston Historical Society in 1871 and reincorporated in 1954 as a non-profit organization devoted to historic preservation and history in Galveston County. Over the last 60 years, GHF has expanded its mission to encompass community redevelopment, historic preservation advocacy, maritime preservation, coastal resiliency and stewardship of historic properties. GHF embraces a broader vision of history and architecture that encompasses advancements in environmental and natural sciences and their intersection with historic buildings and coastal life, and conceives of history as an engaging story of individual lives and experiences on Galveston Island from the 19th century to the present day.