Past Events

Location: Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum, Fort Lewis College

Join the fun by participating in a trivia event hosted by FLC's History Club and the Center of Southwest Studies on Groundhog Day. Whether you're competing solo or with friends, enjoy snacks, refreshments, and the chance to win fabulous prizes. Don't miss this opportunity to test your knowledge and celebrate history! This event is open to the public.

The Center's exhibition gallery will be open prior to the event from 5:00 to 6:00 PM.

Location: Center of Southwest Studies Exhibition Gallery and Lyceum, Fort Lewis College

The Center of Southwest Studies is excited to announce the opening of a new exhibition, The Return of the Force. The Return of the Force explores the significant influence the Star Wars movies have had on contemporary Native artists through an innovative collection of work that addresses themes such as resistance, place, belonging, and Indigenous knowledge. The exhibition will open on Wednesday, September 27 at 5:30 PM in the Center of Southwest Studies exhibit gallery, with an artist panel from 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM in the Lyceum. The Return of the Force will run through August 2024 and include a suite of programming throughout the year.

Location: Student Union Ballroom, Fort Lewis College

Sponsored by the San Juan Basin Archaeological Society, the Center of Southwest Studies, and FLC's Anthropology Department

The film Overshoot and Collapse of the Ancient Four Corners, which premiered at the Durango Film Festival, will be presented on September 22, 2023 by the San Juan Basin Archaeological Society and the Fort Lewis College (FLC) Anthropology Department and Center of Southwest Studies as part of History Live! Durango, from 7:00 – 9:00 PM in the FLC Student Union Ballroom.  The showing is free and open to the public.

The film, by the non-profit Cloudy Ridge Productions, addresses issues of sedentism, aggregation, depopulation, and climatic concerns of the pre-contact Indigenous peoples of the Four Corners region. It transports the viewer on a journey from the beginnings of sedentism to human overshoot in the ancient landscape.  How did these ancient people live? What were their migration patterns? How did they affect the environment and climate? Are we presently experiencing similar patterns of hardship and violence that these ancient ones suffered?

Location: 130 Noble Hall, Fort Lewis College

Sponsored by History Live! & Life-Long Learning

Cory Pillen, director of the Center of Southwest Studies, will discuss American author and educator Harold Rugg and his controversial social studies textbooks titled Man and His Changing Society. Once seen as socialist propaganda, Rugg's mid-20th-century perspectives on the links between art and education offer important insights into concurrent debates concerning national identity and the perceived power of artistic practice.

The Delaney Library is showcasing some special items from the Center’s archives on Friday, June 2 for FLC’s Golden Graduate Reunion, sponsored the FLC Alumni Engagement Office. Visit us any time between 12:30 and 5:30 PM to look at newspapers, photos, memorabilia, and other materials that highlight the history of FLC and our fantastic alumni from 50+ years ago!!

The Center will be offering extended hours Sunday, May 28th from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM in celebration of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. This is a great opportunity to catch our exhibits if you can't make it to the Center during the week and to see Looking Back, Racing Ahead: 50 Years of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic & Durango Cycling Culture before it closes next month!

Location:  Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum or via Zoom (see below)

Author and historian Bob Blair will discuss the work of William Henry Jackson, an American photographer, painter, and explorer famous for his images of the American West.

Location:  Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum

Dr. Andrew Gulliford and Davis Filfred will discuss debates surrounding the Bears Ears National Monument. Their presentations will be followed by a Q&A.

Location:  Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum

Join the Center of Southwest Studies at the closing celebration of As Seeds, We Grow: Student Reflections on Resilience, an exhibition curated by FLC alumna and Curatorial Fellow Elise Boulanger, citizen of the Osage Nation.