For many years now, professor Charles Anderson has educated audiences at the Museum of the Cape Fear with presentations during Black History Month that highlight the contributions of African-Americans in the military.

This year, Anderson will focus his annual talk on Fayetteville's African-American heritage on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.

The event is free.

Anderson's talk will begin with the first appearance of African-Americans in the county's tax records in 1754, to the present day, with special emphasis on E. E. Smith, and the Leary and Chesnutt families.

Ezekiel Ezra Smith (E.E. Smith) served in the Spanish-American War and was principal of what is now Fayetteville State University.

Lewis Leary fought with abolitionist John Brown at Harper's Ferry in 1859, in an effort to free slaves.

Charles Chesnutt, a novelist, grew up in Fayetteville and also served as principal of the Howard School, which became Fayetteville State University.

"Professor Anderson asked me if this year he could focus his talk on local history, whereas last year he spoke specifically about African-Americans in the Civil War to commemorate the Civil War Sesquicen-tennial," says Leisa Greathouse, curator of Education.

"This just isn't African-American history, this is our collective story," says Anderson. "We need to know where we come from."

Professor Charles Anderson works as an adjunct faculty member at Methodist University. Prior to that he served as an adjunct faculty member on the Fort Bragg campus of Central Texas College. Professor Anderson served five years in the Army.

The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is located on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal avenues in Fayetteville.