What really happened at the Battle of Little BigHorn? Has General George Custer been treated fairly in the annals of history? A noted local historian has the answers.
Robert Jacob will present Battle of Little BigHorn-George Custer and the Government Conspiracy to Destroy Him at 10 am on February 4th at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 2301 Deltona Blvd., in Spring Hill. Drawing its origins more than a decade ago from the popular Mondays in Brooksville program, Academia Hernando is a not-for-profit lifelong learning organization providing quality instruction and learning experiences for adult students throughout Hernando County and beyond. The program is sponsored by The Hernando Sun, Kenjo’s Tree Service and The Residence at Timber Pines.
“General George Armstrong Custer is among the most controversial figures in United States History. He has often been portrayed in the media as either an incompetent fool or an arrogant tyrant,” read an event notice. “But in truth, he was actually a victim of character assassination so effective, that most people today still believe it, almost 150 years after his death. Learn the truth about him. Learn the facts of his most famous battle, the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Learn the new and revolutionary theory about how the battle ended and how Custer met his death.”
With a lifelong passion for history, Robert Jacob has been heavily involved in living history interpretation and reenactment for more than 40 years. “Most people have been misinformed about who Custer was, with this misinformation presented by historians and supported by the U.S. government. I want to get the real facts out there about the Battle of Little BigHorn, and about the real George Custer,” said Jacob.
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Jacob earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Duquesne University and a Master’s Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and served in the United States Marine Corps for 31 years.
While researching information regarding the golden age of piracy, Robert realized that the majority of the publications on the subject were contradictory and incorrect. A realization that motivated him to write his award-winning publication “A Pirate’s Life in the Golden Age of Piracy.”
Jacob lectures on a variety of history subjects, especially pirates. He has regularly presented topics at the Tampa Bay History Center, for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and for Academia Hernando. He also has appeared on the History Channel’s series “Beyond Oak Island” as an expert on pirates.
“I always enjoyed teaching and history and I really love setting the record straight,” he said. After the release of “A Pirate’s Life in the Golden Age of Piracy”, his readers expressed additional, specific interest in the pirates that visited the coast of Florida. This inspired him to research and write his second book, “Pirates of the Florida Coast: Truths, Legends, and Myths.” Copies of which will be available at his Academia Hernando presentation.
Sharon Printz, board member of Academia Hernando, is proud to present “Battle of Little BigHorn-George Custer and the Government Conspiracy to Destroy Him.”
“Robert Jacob is a delightful performer, entertainer and educator. He is excellent,” she said.
Coming soon at Academia Hernando, Jason Fortner will present “Danny Kaye: Court Jester of Comedy” at 10 am on February 11th. Dennis Dundore will present “Hidden Gems of New York City” at 10 am on February 18th. Cathy Salustri will present “Roadside Attractions: Vintage Florida” at 10 am on February 25th. Dr. Ruth Kelly will present “A History of Ireland Before Independence” at 10 am on March 4th. The program will culminate with a mystery excursion on March 11th.
An academic subscription to Academia Hernando costs $70 and includes all eight lectures and a mystery bus trip excursion. Tickets to individual lectures are $10. For more information, visit www.academiahernando.org or call (352) 515-0300 or (352) 686-4035.
