"Black Jack Pershing: Lt. at Fort Bayard and General in the 1916 Punitive Expedition into Mexico" will be subject of the 2014 Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society Membership Event on Saturday, January 11th at the Silver City Woman's Club (1715 Silver Heights Blvd).

With the centennial of the Pancho Villa invasion into Columbus, New Mexico nearing, Richard Dean of Columbus, NM will be the guest speaker. Dean, a retired businessman from California, has resided in Columbus twenty five years. Because his family's history in Columbus dates to 1912 and in 1916 his great-grandfather was killed in the infamous Villa Raid, Dean has a very personal interest in this subject. As a historian and archivist, Dean has appeared on the History Channel, PBS radio and TV and is currently president of the Columbus Historical Society.

Founded in 1997, the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve thr history of Fort Bayard and the viability of Fort Bayard National Historic Landmark.

Doors to the Silver City Woman's Club will open at 5:30 with dinner served at 6 PM. Tickets are $15 for the dinner and speaker. Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society's Membership dues are $15 / single and $25 / family. For further information or to make reservations, please call 575-388-4477 or 575-956-3294. The deadline for reservations is January 8.