Center for History and Culture
of Southeast Texas and the Upper Gulf Coast
Founded in 2016 by Dr. Mary Scheer as one Lamar University’s “Visionary Initiatives,” the Center serves the many constituencies of Lamar University students and faculty, the communities of Southeast Texas and the greater Gulf Coast, and the scholars and creatives who explore the region’s past and present. The Center promotes the study of these regions with a commitment to multicultural, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and community-focused projects.
The Center hosts programs that highlight the work of artists, authors, scholars, community leaders, and others who represent varied specializations and backgrounds. It also awards two annual book prizes and funds original research, creativity, and community outreach through its fellowship program.
2024 Summerlee Book Prize Winners
Keagan LeJeune
Finding Myself Lost in Louisiana
University Press of Mississippi.
Nonfiction Category.
“In a work that seamlessly integrates history, travelogue, and personal reflection, LeJeune captures the culture of Louisiana and takes the pulse of his people.” Jeff Forret—author of Williams' Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and His Cargo of Black Convicts (2020) and Slave against Slave: Plantation Violence in the Old South (2015).
“Finding Myself Lost in Louisiana is an important reminder about the complexities related to power of place. The author’s experiences resonate with those enduring life in the region while providing insight into the traditions, mythologies, and history of an often-misunderstood part of the nation.” Rayanna Hoeft—Texas Historical Commission.
Randy Gonzales
Settling St. Malo
University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press.
Creative Category.
“Through poetic images and historical details, Randy Gonzalez weaves the beauty of the Louisiana gulf region with the stories of past generations who made this place their home. The focus on his Filipino heritage brings the poems to life through stories that are both personal and universal.” Gretchen Johnson—Winner of the 2018 Summerlee Book Prize for Single in Southeast Texas (2017).
“Settling St. Malo is a beautifully rendered story of a Filipino American community in coastal Louisiana spanning several generations. Randy Gonzales’s poems capture the challenges, both natural and societal, posed to his ancestors and the steadfast faith and determination with which they were faced and overcome. The poems are stark, powerful and at times breathlessly beautiful, making for a compelling read.” Ron Rozelle—Winner of the 2022 Summerlee Book Prize for Leaving the Country of Sin (2021).
“Settling St. Malo is one of the most unique and compelling poetry collections I’ve read in a long time. Part history, part narrative poetry, the book tells the story the Filipino population in Louisiana and how this group of people shaped the state’s rich legacy. Stroll down memory lane with the speaker’s grandmother as she recollects “Filipino Marti Gras” where “Uncle Sam the white bearded symbol / of imperialism” occupies their float. Discover “Manila Village” in Barataria Bay where Filipinos settled and dried shrimp. Taste the melding of cultures, languages, and flavors in the numerous “recipes” that unfold in verse. Settling St. Malo is a deep look into the past of a region and celebrates the diversity of the Gulf Coast.” Katherine Hoerth—Winner of the 2023 Summerlee Book Prize for Flare Stacks in Full Bloom (2022).
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