The Branigan Cultural Center will focus on the holiday of Juneteenth with Historian Dr. Timothy E. Nelson as a part of our "Pull Up A Chair" speaker series being held at the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, Roadrunner Room.

Guest Historian, Professor Timothy E. Nelson, Ph.D. attended (NMSU) New Mexico State University where he played football and earned his bachelor's degree in U.S. History, and became a proud charter member of Phi Beta Sigma. He earned a master’s degree in Black History at the University of Northern Iowa, ultimately earning a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Dr. Nelson addresses and unpacks foundational issues in African American History, US West History, Borderlands History, and the African Diaspora. His work is the most in-depth research on Blackdom to date. He focuses on the economic and social ambitions of Afro-Frontierists (Black pioneers).

Dr. Nelson continues his research and works closely with Blackdom land owning descendants. His first academic book published July 2023, Texas Tech University Press.

More about his work on Blackdom can be found on his website: https://afrofrontier.com

Join us on Thursday, June 20, 2024, from noon to 1pm MST to learn about the history of Juneteenth.