During a Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Lunch & Learn program join a content expert to get a behind-the-scenes look into a fascinating subject.

Take a deep dive into a variety of topics explored in CSPM’s exhibits.

Lunch & Learn: John M. Chivington and the Sand Creek Massacre, a Lesson in Poor Leadership

About the Program and Presenter

On November 29, 1864, Colonel John M. Chivington, a Methodist minister, political hopeful, and military officer, led the 1st and 3rd Colorado Volunteers in an attack on peace-seeking Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes camped at Sand Creek. The resulting massacre ignited disdain and shock from the local population and federal officials. Who was Colonel Chivington and how did the decisions of one man lead to such a violent event? Join us for a close examination of Chivington as a leader and a discussion that will shed light on the importance of maintaining moral character and competency when in a position of authority.  

Dr. Courtney A. Short holds a PhD in History from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and specializes in Military History, East Asian History, and U.S. History. She is the author of Uniquely Okinawan: Determining Identity in the U.S. Wartime Occupation (Fordham University Press, 2020), which received the 2017 Society for Military History Edward M. Coffman First-Manuscript Prize Honorable Mention and she is a contributing author in the book The Worst Military Leaders (Reaktion Books, 2022). Currently, she is the Historian for the 310th Space Wing, United States Air Force Reserve.  

Bring your questions and ideas for this insightful conversation over lunch in the CSPM's Annex.

Seating is limited.

Reservations are required.

You may reserve a free ticket (feel free to bring your own lunch!) or pay for one of four boxed lunch options from Panera*. We are not able to make any substitutions to the boxed lunch options.

Please note that Panera cannot guarantee that any of their menu items are free of allergens because they use shared equipment and handle common allergens throughout their supply chain and bakery-café.