(From the Hancock Historical Museum)

The Hancock Historical Museum invites the public to its upcoming Brown Bag Lecture presented by Eastman & Smith LTD. at 12 p.m. Thursday, June 5, 2025. The featured presentation, “Frenemies: A History of U.S.-China Relations from Nixon to Now,” will be delivered by Melvin Barnes.

Provided by the presenter: In recent years, China and the United States have seen each other as intense political rivals. The two countries have sparred over foreign policy, human rights, and increasingly, trade. That said, China and the United States have not always seen each other in such a bad light. Historically, the two countries have played integral roles in the success of one another. But what accounts for the challenges between the two largest global economies?

During the lecture, Barnes will explain how the similarities between China and the United States, not differences, often set the two countries at odds.

Melvin Barnes, a graduate of the University of Toledo, earned his Ph.D. in East Asian history from The Ohio State University. He has spent roughly two years studying in China and has written numerous articles on China’s engagement with the United States. Barnes is currently a program officer with Ohio Humanities and will soon join the history faculty at the University of Michigan-Flint.

The lecture will last approximately 45 minutes to an hour, with ample time for questions and discussion. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lunches to enjoy during the program. Admission is free for museum members and $3 for non-members.

The Brown Bag Lecture Series takes place on the first Thursday of every month at the Hancock Historical Museum, located at 422 West Sandusky Street in Findlay. Each lecture highlights topics of historical and cultural significance to Hancock County, Ohio and beyond.

No registration is required. For more information, please contact the Hancock Historical Museum at (419) 423-4433 or visit www.hancockhistoricalmuseum.org.