Sand Creek Massacre: Rocky Mountain PBS Will Air an Hour-Long Special on Thanksgiving

On Saturday, November 29, members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes will gather in southeast Colorado to mark the 150th anniversary of that dark day in 1864 when 150 tribal members -- most of them elderly men, women and children -- were killed by volunteer soldiers led by Colonel John...

By Patricia Calhoun

November 26, 2014

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

On Saturday, November 29, members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes will gather in southeast Colorado to mark the 150th anniversary of that dark day in 1864 when 150 tribal members -- most of them elderly men, women and children -- were killed by volunteer soldiers led by Colonel John Chivington. But you don't have to travel to the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site to learn more about this dark day in Colorado history. You don't need to go further than your TV set tomorrow night. See also: John Evans's Descendents Discuss a Dark Legacy

At 7 p.m. on November 27, Rocky Mountain PBS will air a special, hour-long original episode of Colorado Experience that tells the story of the Sand Creek Massacre through exhaustive interviews with historians and 22 descendents of the survivors of Sand Creek.

It may seem unusual fare for Thanksgiving, but the fact that Rocky Mountain PBS devoted so much time and so many resources to this important chapter in Colorado history is reason for thanks. If you miss the premiere, the show will be available online afterwards. For more information, go to rmpbs.org/ColoradoExperience.

And for a complete list of activities connected to the commemoration of the Sand Creek Massacre, including the Healing Run that starts at Sand Creek on November 30 and ends at the State Capitol on December 3, visit sandcreekmassacre150.com.

Send tips to [email protected].

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

Follow:

Facebook: patricia.calhoun.927