TIFTON—The ghosts and goblins of Halloween will soon make their annual appearance but few people can really tell you how it got its start or how the holiday has changed over the centuries.
All these questions will be answered at 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 when Dr. Dave Nelson presents “A Treat or a Trick? The Long, Strange History of Halloween” in Howard Auditorium at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Nelson, a professor of history at ABAC Bainbridge, will speak as a part of the ABAC Lecture Series. The public is invited to attend at no charge.
Halloween has some multicultural origins, stretching back to Ireland, Britain, Catholic Europe, and Mexico. Nelson will discuss the origins of Halloween, the changes it went through in the late 20th century, and the isolated instances when it turned into a dangerous night with reports of poisoned candy and razors in candy apples.
Other speakers in the ABAC Lecture Series include Dr. Jay Baldwin on “From Dragnet to Blue Bloods: TV Cops and Why They Matter” on Feb. 20, and Dr. Sandra Giles on “Mr. Pete and The Baldwin Story” on April 2.
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