What was happening in the American West when the United States declared its independence in 1776?

Join Sheridan Community Land Trust and Sheridan College for a special screening of Before Wyoming: The West in 1776, a Wyoming PBS documentary that explores the rich history of the Northern Rockies and Great Plains during the American Revolution.

While the eastern colonies fought for independence, Indigenous nations across the West were shaping their own histories through trade, alliances, cultural traditions, and encounters with a changing world. Through Native knowledge holders, historians, archaeologists, and young people from the region, the film shares a broader picture of the people and events that shaped the West.

Following the screening, join Donovin Sprague, a Minnicoujou Lakota historian, Sheridan College history faculty member, and featured participant in the documentary, along with SCLT Director of History Kevin Knapp for a Q&A and discussion.

This special Explore History program is presented in partnership with Sheridan College in recognition of American Indian Heritage Month.

Free and open to all. Let us know you’re coming by signing up on our website.