Tom Twomey Lecture Series Opens at East Hampton Library

The offseason is a time for resting, recharging, and, according to the East Hampton Library, learning as well.

The East Hampton Library will launch the 2026 Tom Twomey Series later this month with a lecture examining the origins of the town’s place names and landmarks.

“Landmarks and Legends: East Hampton Unveiled,” presented by David Cataletto, is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the library. The talk will explore how Native American, African and European influences shaped East Hampton’s roads, places and landmarks.

Cataletto, an East Hampton native, teaches history and English at East Hampton Middle School and serves as an East Hampton Town trustee. He is also involved in historic and environmental preservation efforts in the community.

The Tom Twomey Series is presented in partnership with the East Hampton Historical Society and will continue with lectures throughout the year.

“Partnering with the Historical Society on this year’s Tom Twomey Series allows the library to pool resources and present an even stronger lineup of programs,” said Dennis Fabiszak, executive director of the East Hampton Library.As premier East End historical organizations located just two doors apart, we’re pleased to collaborate on this educational lecture series highlighting the rich history of East Hampton,”

On Thursday, Feb. 26, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Dr. Nedra Lee will present “Uncovering the Past: Archaeology at Sylvester Manor.” The lecture will focus on archaeological work at Sylvester Manor, a nonprofit historic site on Shelter Island, and how research there has been used to document the history of Black and Indigenous people in New York over roughly 400 years.

Lee’s work examines race, class, sex and gender in the lives of African Americans during the 19th and early 20th centuries. She has overseen archaeological projects at the Boston-Higginbotham House on Nantucket and at Sylvester Manor, and has received funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Texas Historical Commission. Her previous experience includes work with the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and the City Museum of Washington, D.C.

The March 27 program, scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m., is titled “Valedictory Orations, Songs and Speeches, Harangues and Dialogues, Clinton Academy 1821-1921.” Hosted by East Hampton Town Crier Hugh R. King, the presentation will explore the history of Clinton Hall as a regional center for theater and entertainment. The program will include appearances by local performers and musical accompaniment.

King serves as the East Hampton Town and Village historian, town crier and historic site director for the village windmills and Home Sweet Home Museum. He taught for more than three decades and was active in local theater productions for many years.

The series will continue Friday, April 24, from 7 to 8 p.m., with “History of East Hampton New York in the Revolution,” presented by Leah K. Lebec. The lecture will draw on the research of her late father, Lawrence Jamieson Koncelik Sr., and examine East Hampton’s experience during the American Revolution, including the period leading up to the Battle of Long Island in 1776 and the years of British occupation that followed.

Lebec, a native of East Hampton, holds a doctorate in French literature from New York University and has taught at the university level. She is a co-founder of the literacy nonprofit Read Alliance and has served as a trustee of the East Hampton Historical Society.

“Tom Twomey was an incredible champion for history education in our community, and the East Hampton Historical Society is honored to partner with the East Hampton Library on the Tom Twomey Series,” said Steve Long, executive director of the East Hampton Historical Society. “I’m excited that we’re working together to develop such an amazing variety of presentations about East Hampton history.”

Additional information and RSVP details are available at tomtwomeyseries.org.