The 2nd U.S. Cavalry Association and Humanities Montana are co-hosting a free public event at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 30, billed as a celebration of Montana territorial history. The centerpiece of this year's program is a presentation by Dr. Lanny Real Bird, a Crow Nation scholar whose work focuses on Indigenous history and the intersection of Native and settler experience in the Northern Plains and Rocky Mountain West.
The event is part of a recurring collaboration between the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Association — which maintains a historical focus on the regiment that served extensively in Montana Territory during the late 19th century — and Humanities Montana, the state's nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The pairing of a military history organization with a Crow Nation scholar reflects an effort to present territorial history from multiple vantage points, including perspectives that cavalry-centered narratives have historically left out.
Admission is free and the event is open to the public. The Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds sits just east of Helena and has parking available. Humanities Montana has been an active presence in Helena's cultural calendar for years, funding lectures, reading programs, and public history events across the state. Details on the day's full schedule and any additional presenters can be obtained through Humanities Montana's website.