Helen Cozart, librarian at Ranger College in Ranger, TX, shared information on the efforts she led at her library to preserve, document and bring local history to the public. She shared advice on how to create an original exhibit and showcased images of her Boom Town exhibit. (Lucas Strough/Kilgore News Herald)

Kilgore College and the East Texas Oil Museum recently hosted the second annual East Texas History Summit, inviting guests to Van Cliburn Auditorium for a series of discussions on local history topics.

The theme of the event was “Postcards from the Past,” focusing on the lived experiences of people who made the East Texas region ints what it is today.

Olivia Moore, director of museum services, opened the event, saying it was an honor to welcome “such a passionate group of historian, educators and community members” to the event.

“Our theme ‘Postcards from the Past’ invites us to step into the stories and snapshots that have shaped the history of East Texas. Much like a postcard, history captures moments in time: fragments of life, places and events that connect us to the people that came before us. These glimpses into the past serve not only as memories but as bridges reminding us how far we’ve come and inspiring us to preserve these stories for generations to come,” she said.

Like last year’s inaugural event, the summit presented in-depth discussions on a series of topics relevant to East Texas history.

Helen Cozart, librarian at Ranger College in Ranger, shared information on the efforts she led at her library to preserve, document and bring local history to the public. She shared advice on how to create an original exhibit and showcased images of her Boom Town exhibit.

Christian Pippins, president of the Gregg County Genealogy Society, delivered her presentation informing audience members how they could begin to research their own family history and genealogy.

These days, she said, it’s easier than ever to get started. Services like Ancestry and 23andMe can provide information on your genetic forebears while historical records and newspapers, available at local libraries, can fill in missing details in your family’s story.

Jonny Ferguson, secretary of Kilgore Historical Preservation Foundation reflected on his many years at that National Aeronautics and Space Administration in his talk, “Failure Is Not An Option: The Apollo Moon Landing Program.”

Ferguson displayed scenes from documentary films about the Apollo program, pointing out famed astronauts who walked on the moon and orbited the plant, and then gestured to himself standing nearby in the frame.

He repeatedly emphasized the importance of the Apollo mission and other NASA projects as motivational for the morale of the American people, as a frantic race to space against communist Russia played out against a Cold War backdrop.

The final portion of the event included two speakers: Kilgore College professor Portia Scott, who delivered her presentation on “The History and Importance of the Red Rock Community” and Bob Mauldin, Host of Expedition Texas, spoke about his “The Art of Discovering and Sharing the Hidden Histories of Texas.”

Scott represented the Red Rock Historical Association, which works to nurture an understanding of and energize an appreciation for the cultural contributions of African Americans in Northeast Texas and the Red Rock community.

Texas musician and host of “Expedition Texas” Bob Mauldin gave the final presentation, sharing stories and insights of his travels around the Lone Star State, which have informed his show, as well as his music and books.