Born in the late 1700s, Jean Lafitte created a profitable smuggling operation in New Orleans with his brother, Pierre. After the Embargo Act of 1807, the brothers setup base at another port in Louisiana where they defended General Andrew Jackson against the British during the War of 1812. The pair then moved to Galveston Island and developed the colony of Campeche while becoming spies for the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence. For such an enigmatic character, much is still unknown (or misinterpreted) about his life. Learn more about the colorful stories that surround Jean Lafitte, arguably the most famous pirate (or, perhaps, privateer) of the early nineteenth century. The lively look will include his rise to power in Louisiana, his role in the Battle of New Orleans, his smuggling operations in Galveston, and his mysterious whereabouts afterward. The presentation is illustrated with slides and a couple of folksongs by Dr. Curley on his guitar.
Dr. Stephen Curley is Regents Professor Emeritus of Liberal Studies and an award-winning teacher of literature, writing, and film at Texas A&M University at Galveston. He received his B.A. from Fordham University and his Ph.D. from Rice University. He has published books about coastal Texas; American war movies; women and minorities in Texas culture; the history of Texas A&M University at Galveston; and a WWII attack transport that became an ocean liner, a maritime training ship, and is now a diving reef.
This lecture is generously sponsored by Frost Bank