June 17, 2026 – Sotterley descendants Agnes Lightfoot and Gwen Bankins and author Dave Brown join us to talk about Dave’s new book, The Kane Family: Slavery to Freedom at Sotterley. The book compiles and preserves the work of Agnes’s mother, genealogist and historian Agnes Kane Callum. Agnes’s decades of research into her family, beginning with her great grandfather Hillery Cane, who was the patriarch of the Cane family enslaved at Sotterley, helped transform how we understand and share our history at Historic Sotterley. Her work uncovered the family histories of hundreds of descendants connected to Sotterley and laid the foundation for a more complete and honest interpretation of our past. Agnes, Gwen, and Dave will be discussing this incredible work, Agnes Kane Callum’s life and impact, and the process of compiling and annotating this impressive body of research.

This is a FREE hybrid event. Registration is required.
All participants are welcome to join us to meet the speaker at the pre-reception at 6:30 pm with light refreshments.

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Agnes “Callum” Lightfoot is a community leader with more than 20 years of service in civic, cultural, and mission-driven organizations. She is known for strong organizational leadership, strategic planning, and sustained community engagement.

She has a long-standing connection to Historic Sotterley through her mother, Agnes Kane Callum, who served on the Sotterley Board for many years—an influence that helped shape Agnes’s lifelong commitment to preservation and public service.

Agnes currently serves as President of the Democratic Women’s Club of Flagler County and as Florida State Correspondence Secretary for the Democratic Women’s Clubs. She has led multiple nonprofit initiatives, mobilized volunteers, and strengthened organizations through effective governance and public outreach.  In addition to her nonprofit work, she is a Realtor with Weichert Realtors Hallmark Properties in Florida.

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Gwendoline Bankins is the President of the Board of Trustees at Historic Sotterley and the first descendant of enslaved individuals at the site to hold this leadership role. A St. Mary’s County native, she is known for her deep love of community and over 30 years of service in local and state volunteer outreach programs focused on awareness, healing, and hope.

Gwen serves as Chair of the Descendant-led Day of Unity and Healing and was the descendant lead in Sotterley’s Community Archaeology Initiative in June. She has also chairs the site’s Preservation, Restoration, and Interpretation Committee. Beyond Sotterley, she is active in regional efforts to advance racial equity, serving on steering committees for Dismantling Racism and Privilege in Southern Maryland and the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area.

A committed Law Enforcement Chaplain, Gwen supports the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and holds leadership roles with the International Conference of Police Chaplains. Her work bridges history, service, and healing—centering truth, community connection, and inclusive storytelling.

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Dave Brown is a retired diplomat and university educator. Since 2000, he has volunteered as a docent at Sotterley and once served on its Board of Trustees. He has written books and articles related to Sotterley including Sotterley: Its People and Their Worlds (2010), George Plater of Sotterley (2014) and The Barber Family: From Slavery, Through Segregation and The Civil Rights Movement (2023), the last co-authored with Donald Barber.