Elliott West
听If You Go
Date:听February 20, 2006
Reflecting on The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado
Elliott West, an award-winning author and Distinguished Professor of History at the University of Arkansas, gave a public talk at the University of Colorado at Boulder on February 20, 2006.
West spoke about the reaction to his best-known book,听The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers and the Rush to Colorado.听The 1988 book won numerous awards including the Francis Parkman Prize for the year鈥檚 outstanding book on American history.
The Contested Plains听tells how the rise of American Indian horse culture and the discovery and pursuit of gold in the Rocky Mountains led to dramatic changes and conflicts.
鈥淭he book raises important questions about the causes of the near-extermination of the bison and, perhaps most importantly, Elliott West鈥檚 work reminds us how much had already changed in the plains before the arrival of Anglo-Americans in significant numbers,鈥 said Professor Patricia Limerick, Faculty Director of the Center of the American West. 鈥淭hus, even though it is about the comparatively distant past,听The Contested Plains听stirs up strong feelings among Westerners today.鈥
West, who earned his doctorate at CU-Boulder, teaches and writes on the history of the American West and on American environmental history. He is the author of five books and has twice received the University of Arkansas鈥 award for teacher of the year. He is a past president of the Western History Association.
West鈥檚 appearance is part of a series of events celebrating the Center of the American West鈥檚 20th anniversary this year. West鈥檚 books were available for sale and signing at the event.