Ari Kelman, author of the award-winning book “A Misplaced Massacre,” visited campus on Oct. 21 to discuss the implications of the Sand Creek Massacre in addition to the responsibility of John Evans.
John Evans — the namesake of Mount Evans and Evans Ave., and the founder of DU — was territorial governor of Colorado from 1862 to 1865.
On Nov. 29, 1864, Colorado troops massacred a group of Cheyenne and Arapahoe villagers near Sand Creek. John Evans, during his term as a territorial governor, also contributed to this massacre. As a DU community, we are making progress toward recognizing the significance of this event. Additionally, our recognition of this event in our history contributes to our ability to move forward as an institution of higher-learning.
Although Kelman didn’t reach a conclusive statement about whether Evans should be held responsible for this event, it is clear that Evans’ actions contributed to the situational environment that allowed the event to occur.
Evans made several decrees that enabled the public and the government to divide tribes into “friendlies” and “hostiles.” It was clear throughout his letters and decisions that he was completely incompetent in tribal affairs, yet he made radical decisions that harmed many of their communities.
As a result of Evans’ controversial actions, DU and Northwestern University (also founded by Evans) have created committees to evaluate his involvement in Colorado Indian Affairs and in the Sand Creek Massacre.
The DU committee, named the John Evans Study Committee, consists of faculty and staff from DU and other institutions, including representatives from Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes. A report from the committee regarding John Evans’s responsibility in the massacre is expected either Nov. 1 or Nov. 3.
The DU committee is especially significant, as this year is the sesquicentennial of both DU’s founding and the Sand Creek Massacre. An examination of John Evans in relation to Indian affairs is an appropriate reflection for the DU community. Understanding his role in the Sand Creek Massacre and preceding events is more than just placing blame on individuals.
Even if John Evans is identified as holding complete responsibility, this does not mean that our university has a negative reputation. In fact, the investigation into our past represents exactly the opposite: we have moved forward from the constructs of our founder to become a forward-thinking institution.
Many other institutions have made steps in investigating the more controversial areas of their histories. Brown University created a similar committee-based report on their connections to slavery. Several universities have also issued reports and resolutions based on their connections to slavery. These reports have not created a negative mindset for the current institutions. Rather, they show that the institutions have moved forward from their past and recognize (and most likely regret) the significance of historical actions.
“[DU] is making a genuinely good-faith effort to acknowledge and reckon with [John Evans’s actions]…It is remarkable and commendable,” said Kelman, regarding DU’s efforts to reflect and recognize Sand Creek.
This investigative committee represents DU’s ability to recognize historical significance. As a greater community, however, it is more difficult to measure our ability to understand the magnitude of our past. The best action we can take is to reflect on our past, as the committee has begun. We can improve as a community by understanding, whether or not we have a direct connection to the massacre, that it was an event that shaped who we are today. Recognition of our potential negative connections to the past allow us to move forward from those stances. After all, we could not claim to be a forward-thinking institution without being able to challenge our own role in history.
