CSWS Program Calendar

Afternoon talk on August 8th: "Potsherds of Poverty: A Material History of Poverty and Migration to Mexico City in the Mid-Twentieth Century"

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 22:49:00 +0000

Join us for an afternoon presentation from Joshua K. Salyers, University of Arizona, "Potsherds of Poverty: A Material History of Poverty and Migration to Mexico City in the Mid-Twentieth Century".

Time: 1:30 p.m. on August 8^th

Place: Lyceum at the Center of Southwest Studies

Joshua Salyers will share his approach for his dissertation research on the material history of the poor and migration of families into Mexico City during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Mr. Salyers is a doctoral student in the Department of History at the University of Arizona and is currently working with the Center of Southwest Studies archives personnel to improve researchers’ access to the oral history collections held by the Center. He will return to his research in Mexico City later in the coming academic year.

Member's only tour to Silverton!

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 21:16:00 +0000

Summer Benefit Party at the Rochester Hotel and Bar

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 16:54:00 +0000

Come join the party! Join us at the Rochester Hotel and Bar on Thursday, July 25th from 5:00-7:30 pm for cash bar, light appetizers and music by Robby Overfield. This event is free and open to the public. Please consider a membership or donation to the Center.
Co-sponsorship by

Music in the Mountains pre-concert lecture

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 20:56:00 +0000

Dr. Linda Mack Berven will discuss the composers and give insight on the evening's Music in the Mountains concert, Dramatic Passage on Sunday, July 21 from 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. in the Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum room.

Celebrate the summer solstice at the Center!

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:08:00 +0000

The Center of Southwest Studies

celebrates the Summer Solstice on Friday, June 21^st. Doors open at 6:00AM. At the dawn of the summer solstice, a spiral of sunlight makes its way across the gallery walls making for a dazzling display. In our annual celebration of summer, the Center of Southwest Studies will provide a light breakfast and music. This event is open to the public, with free admission and parking.

Situated in the upper northeast corner of the exhibit gallery, the Solstice Window is recessed into the wall. Created by Denver artist Scott Parsons as a part of Colorado’s Art in Public Places Program, the window was integrated into the building’s architecture. Parsons designed the window in tribute to the solstice markers of the Ancestral Puebloans of Southwest Colorado. The spiral cast by the Solstice Window is visible for several weeks before and after the summer solstice, but it is sharpest on solstice morning. Moving with the motion of the earth and sun, the spiral makes its journey across the gallery wall, fading as the sun rises higher in the sky.

Photograph by John Ninnemann

A few spots still available for this Friday's Harris Cabin tour

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Tue, 28 May 2013 22:06:00 +0000

The Durango Collection® is featured at an exhibit at the Wheelright Museum

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:31:00 +0000

The Durango Collection®: Native American Weaving in the Southwest, 1860-1880 exhibit opened at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Saturday, May 11. As expressed by the Center's curator, Jeanne Brako,“A lot of what the exhibit is about is the cross-cultural issues with weaving in the Southwest.” To learn more about this exhibit, read the review in The New Mexican's Weekly Magazine of Arts, Entertainment & Culture, Pasatiempo: Looming large: the weaving tradition of the American Southwest.

This exhibit will remain up through April 13, 2014.

A Movie Review from the Delaney Library: Dreamkeeper

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In Dreamkeeper by director Steve Barron and writer John Fusco, a grandson learns the ways of life through the stories told to him by his grandfather. This coming of age story was well-received by Native American critics and won the American Indian Movie Award for best film. Dreamkeeper was made for TV in 2003, with visual effects that may remind you of a movie from the 90’s. However, the stories told have meaningful lessons, and the movie represents several distinct tribes and claims to have consulted with tribal members for authentic representation - including Lakota, Cheyenne, and Crow – rather than lumping all Native Americans into one group.

Review by student worker Tia Flippin

Join us for a tour of the historic Harris Cabin

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:49:00 +0000

A New Book at Delnaey Library: New Mexico’s Spanish Livestock Heritage Four Centuries of Animals, Land, and People

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

In New Mexico’s Spanish Livestock Heritage Four Centuries of Animals, Land, and People, William W. Dunmire presents New Mexico’s agricultural history as the basis for its present day culture and agricultural way of life. The author gives a vivid and detailed description on New Mexican culture - past and present - and explains the impact of the Spanish bringing new animals to live in the New Mexico area in the early years. This book will be of interest to anyone wanting to gain knowledge of New Mexico history and culture, particularly in the livestock and agriculture of the Southwest region.

Review by student worker Stone Tighe

Center of Southwest Studies to host local author Erica Olsen

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:37:00 +0000

The Center is proud to host Erica Olsen, who will read from her book “Recapture,” and will share in dialogue with the audience on Thursday, May 2^nd at 6:00pm in the Lyceum room. A wine and cheese reception with the author will kick off at 5:00pm in the Center's lobby. Please join us for this finale spring series event!

New Acquisition on the Coronado Expedition: The Coronado Expedition From the Distance of 460 Years

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

The Coronado Expedition From the Distance of 460 Years, by Richard Flint and Shirley Cushing Flint consists of a collection of essays following the Coronado expedition based on known and previously unstudied documentation. The authors attempt to create a full picture of the Coronado expedition by assembling select puzzle pieces. This is a straight forward book that runs through the course of events of the expedition. This is a great book for anyone researching the Coronado expedition or Spanish arrival in North America. While full of factual detail, very little is embellished upon to create a sense of emersion into the story, so it is not recommended for the casual reader.

Review by student worker Tia Flippin

Summer Events at the Center

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:31:00 +0000

New Acquisition in the Library: Challenging National Identities at the Frontier: Texas and New Mexico, 1800-1850

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

This newly acquired book helps to round out the core collection at Delaney Library by doing exactly as the title describes. Below is a short review provided by student worker Arielle Liakat:

Andres Resendez gives the reader an interesting lens to read and learn about the years leading up to the Mexican-American War in his book, Challenging National Identities at the Frontier: Texas and New Mexico, 1800-1850. Resendez challenges traditional histories of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, which assume frontier residents had clear national loyalties. Rather, Resendez tells the reader that in reality, the U.S.-Mexico borderlands were a changing landscape of identities. Through the examination of complex and overlapping identities, we gain a new knowledge of the borderlands and the events leading to Mexico’s far north becoming a part of the American Southwest.

Center hosts panel on "Learning Through Discovery"

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Center to host panel on innovations in tribal education

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:34:00 +0000

The Center of Southwest Studies will host a panel discussion, “Innovations in Tribal Education: Community and Classroom Advances,” on Tuesday, March 26^th at 6:00pm. Panelists will share recent improvements and emerging innovations in regional tribal education. Participants include representatives from Diné College, the Southern Ute Education Department, the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum, the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs and Fort Lewis College. This event is free and open to the public, and will be held in the Center’s Lyceum Room.

American Indian Horse Masks: A Book Review from Delaney Library

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

American Indian Horse Masks by authors Mike Cowdrey, Ned Martin, Jody Martin, and Winfield Coleman, is a colorful book with over 200 illustrations of horse masks, primarily from the 19^th century. The symbolism of the horse mask and the decoration and painting of horses during times of war and times of celebration is explored through detailed pictures and descriptions. Horse masks of various Native American plains tribes, as well as the Apache and Pueblo tribes of the Southwest, are represented. The authors explain that the people of Native North America observed Spanish-armored horses, which led to their own creative uses and implementation of horse armor. The book is divided by geographical region, and the photographs are well-positioned to prompt explanation and interpretation. American Indian Horse Masks was produced in conjunction with the Smithsonian exhibition A Song for the Horse Nation, which included interviews from local Navajos, examples of horse gear, and other remarkable artifacts. Patrons interested in this book may also enjoy They Sang for Horses: the Impact of the Horse on Navajo & Apache Folklore.

This book review was written by student worker Tia Flippin.

Blood and Thunder: A Book Review from the Delaney Library Collection

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This book review by library student worker Arielle Liakat is on a historical work that investigates the life of one of the West’s most well-known figures, Kit Carson:

Hampton Sides magnificently details the history of westward expansion in his epic book on the American West, Blood and Thunder. In the summer of 1846, the Army of the West was ferociously driven by the Manifest Destiny ideology. They rode through Santa Fe on one of the longest marches in American military history and continued their conquest of other Western territories. This march led to two decades of resistance by the Navajos against these “blue suited, New Men.” At the center of this tale, we come to understand the life and times of Kit Carson - trapper, scout, soldier, and frontiersman of the American West. Sides shows us that Carson, who was an illiterate mountain man - while credited with understanding and respecting Native American people better than any other American of his time - was still willing to follow army orders at the cost of many Native American lives. Blood and Thunder is an eloquently told tale of a controversial man and times of turmoil in the history of the American West.

Financial Aid information session hosted by the CSWS on March 12th

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 19:41:00 +0000

Spring Break closure week of March 4-8

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 21:45:00 +0000

The Center of Southwest Studies will be closed for Spring Break the week of March 4-8, returning to normal operations on Monday, March 11th.

Happy spring!

America's First Warriors: A Book Review from Delaney Library

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The Delaney Library holds many historical works in its collection, and it also holds works on current topics of significance on the landscape and cultures of the Southwest. One such book is

America’s First Warriors: Native Americans and Iraq by Steven Clevenger, which is reviewed by library student worker Stone Tighe:

America’s First Warriors: Native Americans and Iraq is a collection of interviews and photographs of Native Americans who have served in Iraq. Most of the interviewees are from the New Mexico State National Guard. The writer investigates the traditional culture of the warrior and the way these traditions are carried on by Native American soldiers in today’s army culture. Steven Clevenger, who is Osage, documents major conflicts and his photographs have appeared in Newsweek and CNN. This book gives insight to the duality of the worlds that Native American people navigate between cultural traditions and the modern military. This book is ideal for anyone who is interested in the service of Native Americans in the U.S. military, who often occupy an in-between cultural space.

Alumni event in Flagstaff celebrates CSWS partnership with Museum of Northern Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:45:00 +0000

The Center of Southwest Studies is pleased to announce a Fort Lewis College Alumni Reunion event hosted by the Foundation/ Development Office on Saturday, March 2, 2013 from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, AZ. The Center traveled its very popular Mountain Lion! exhibit to the Museum of Northern Arizona, and in celebration of that partnership, alumni and their families are invited to attend a private reception and tour the exhibit.
Please RSVP to the Foundation Office, 970-247-7177 by February 27th.
at 3101 N Fort Valley Rd Flagstaff, AZ (928) 774-5213.
The Museum of Northern Arizona is located at 3101 North Fort Valley Road in Flagstaff. Visit their webpage: http://www.musnaz.org/

A Book Review from Delaney Library

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The Delaney Library offers a selection of books that aid professionals, staff, and researchers in their work with the various materials offered in our archival collections, such as photographs. This book review by one of our library student worker covers one such book:

Alan Trachtenberg has put together an impressive book that interprets American life through photography. Reading American Photographs includes works from acclaimed photographers such as Mathew Brady, Timothy O’Sullivan, and Walker Evans. The photographs represented are from as far back as the 1800s and cover 100 years of American history, including two depressions. Trachtenberg does a wonderful job explaining the photographs; Reading American Photographs is a great read and visually interesting. The history of America can be viewed from the lenses of these luminary men, and the photographs are very impactful. The book quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson in Chapter 1 who says most graciously, “Other men are lenses through which we read our own minds.”

Center hosts exhibit opening and textile road show

noreply@blogger.com (blog manager) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:10:00 +0000

The Center of Southwest Studies proudly unveiled its newest exhibit, Woven to Wear: An Exhibition Featuring Navajo and Puebloan Textiles, on Thursday, February 7^th. With close to one hundred people in attendance, the event brought Durango’s “First Thursday Art Walk” to the Fort Lewis College campus for the first time. The evening included a gallery talk by Jackson Clark, a popular and lively speaker on the development of Navajo textiles and other Southwest Arts. Jackson pointed out the contrasts in Puebloan and Navajo weaving, and highlighted the creative aspects of Southwest textile design. Woven to Wear will display through May 2014.

Opening night in the gallery, Thursday, February 7th.

Jackson Clark speaks to a full house at the Woven to Wear opening reception.

Inside A Room at Walpi, part of the Woven to Wear exhibit

In keeping with the exhibit’s theme, the Center also hosted a Southwest Textile Road Show on Saturday, February 9^th. A number of Center members and friends braved the cold, snowy weather to bring in textiles and rugs for evaluation, or to simply watch attendees’ treasures be presented to textile expert and Toadlena Trading Post owner, Mark Winter. Mark was instrumental in developing the Center’s Durango Collection® and still acts as an advisor to the Center in the collection’s exhibition and development.

Mark Winter and his wife Linda evaluated rugs and textiles at the Saturday, February 9th
Southwest Textile Road Show.

Individualized evaluations took place throughout the snowy afternoon.

Road shows always have their stars and surprises, and this event was capped with the appearance of a white field banded blanket that fell into the “slave blanket” category. The term “slave blanket” is used to refer to blankets with structural aspects from one culture and design aspects from another, combined in ways that are more integral than borrowed characteristics. This piece, which was found sewn inside a quilt, was likely made on a Hispanic loom, but shows strong Navajo design traits. Its coloration and wool type closely matched one of the Durango Collection® Navajo banded blankets on view, making it a good counterpoint example to that textile. This piece proved worth the trip through the snow for road show participants who had never seen such a textile in person.

Linda inspects the unusual "slave blanket" found sewn inside a quilt.

A Book Review from the Delaney Library

noreply@blogger.com (jenpack) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

The book collection at the Delaney Library supports the programs of the Center of Southwest Studies and the research needs of its patrons. Some of the books are also on popular topics that community members will find of interest, such as Winging It: A beginner’s Guide to the Birds of the Southwest by family birdwatchers Catherine Coulter, Cynthia Coulter, James Coulter, and Vivian Coulter. It was reviewed by library student worker Tia Flippin:

The mother (Vivian) of the Coulter family and her three adult children compile together their memories, resources, and time to produce this light-hearted guide. An educator (Catherine), a physician (Cynthia), and a businessman (James) all add their unique perspectives to the view of a science textbook author and educator (Vivian). It is a colorfully illustrated book that eloquently mashes pictures, diagrams, stories and facts into a quick and easy-to-read guide of 42 common species of birds in the southwest. The bright colors and childhood stories add an almost childlike feel to the book. However, the emboldened terms, real pictures, and various sketches keep this book grounded in the realm of non-fiction.

Also check out other related books: Watchable birds of the Southwest and Birds of the Southwest.

Related material in the archives: M242 Roy E.Wells collection, Series 6, for information concerning the sales, trade, and usage of endangered and exotic birds among Native Americans and M121 Theodore Hetzel field notebooks for an accounts of the 1917 Migratory Bird Act.

Come by Delaney Library to read this and many other books on southwest topics!

For hours and directions: http://swcenter.fortlewis.edu/visit.shtml