History Book Festival free author events set Sept. 27

The ninth annual History Book Festival is set for Friday to Sunday, Sept. 26 to 28, at several venues in Lewes.

Attendees can access their choice of 20 author presentations Saturday, Sept. 27, all free of charge.

Saturday program topics include an American family’s tangled origins, Jesus’ life in the Roman Empire and a trans man who first survived the Nazis and then the Allies.   

In “Bibb County,” Lonnae O’Neal  explores what it means to be descended, through enslavement, from a wealthy and powerful family. She confronts the history that echoes through every generation of Americans.  

Community partners in support of O’Neal’s presentation are the Historic Lewes Farmers Market and the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice. 

In his sweeping chronicle, “The Year God Died: Jesus and the Roman Empire in 33 AD,” James Lacey dissects reams of misinformation to reveal Jesus as he lived within the grand spectacle of the Roman world. Lacey explains how events in Rome drove events in Judea and offers a direct link to Jesus' crucifixion. With new evidence and meticulous research, Lacey contradicts long-standing historical beliefs to uncover a fresh view of the New Testament. 

In “The Lilac People,” Milo Todd tells the extraordinary story of Bertie, a trans man who must survive first the Nazis, then the Allies while protecting his loved ones. Bertie is employed at the Institute of Sexual Science, where he works to improve queer rights in Germany and beyond. With Hitler’s rise, Bertie goes into hiding with his girlfriend. When they find a young trans man collapsed on their property, they vow to protect him from Allied forces who are arresting queer prisoners while liberating the rest of the country. 

The community partners in support of Todd’s presentation are CAMP Rehoboth and Sussex Pride. 

To learn more, go to historybookfestival.org.