Fall into Art: Mari Sandoz – Groundbreaking Storyteller of the American West with Shannon Smith

The Brinton Museum is honored to welcome historian and award-winning author Shannon Smith for an evening lecture on the life and legacy of Mari Sandoz, one of the most influential voices of the American West.

Mari Sandoz (1896–1966) rose to prominence after winning the Atlantic Monthly Press nonfiction contest for her book Old Jules, a candid account of life in the Nebraska Sandhills. Despite years of hardship and rejection — including burning manuscripts in despair — Sandoz persevered and went on to publish more than a dozen books and countless articles in national periodicals. Her works, including Crazy Horse: Strange Man of the Oglalas, Cheyenne Autumn, and The Battle of the Little Bighorn, established her as a leading authority on Plains Indian history and culture, as well as a powerful advocate for justice for Native peoples.

Smith’s lecture will explore Sandoz’s groundbreaking research and writing, illuminating the ways her work continues to shape our understanding of the West.

About Shannon Smith

Shannon D. Smith is a historian, educator, and author specializing in American Indian and Western history. Her book Give Me Eighty Men: Women and the Myth of the Fetterman Fight received the 2009 book award from the Wyoming State Historical Society.

She has taught history and humanities at Oglala Lakota College, served as Executive Director of the Wyoming Humanities Council, and held research and leadership roles in higher education. Smith has written extensively about Mari Sandoz and currently serves as President and Executive Director of the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society. She lives in Gordon, Nebraska — Sandoz’s hometown — where she continues her research and writing.

Event Details

• Doors open at 5:00 PM

• Cash bar available

• Lecture begins at 5:30 PM

• Free and open to the public

Optional Dinner: A ticketed prix fixe dinner will follow the program. Reservations required.