Before Wyoming: The West 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.

When: Monday, November 23, 2026, at 7 to 8 p.m.
Where: Kinnison Hall in the Whitney Center for Performing Arts, Sheridan College

Free and open to all.

Let us know you’re coming by signing up using this link.

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

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 https://sheridanclt.org/events/sclt-explore-history-before-wyoming-the-west-in-1776in partnership with Sheridan College in recognition of American Indian Heritage Month.