On Thursday, Feb. 20, a University of Colorado Boulder historian will explore a devastating period in American history — the smallpox epidemic of 1775-1782.
Join Elizabeth Fenn, CU-Boulder associate professor of history, for “Pox, Pustules, and Pestilence: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-1782” at 7 p.m. in Trinidad State Junior College’s Massari Theater. The program invites the public to learn about how smallpox changed history and connects to the present.
“While the Revolutionary War unfolded along the Atlantic seaboard, a gruesome smallpox epidemic swept all of North America. The epidemic reshaped lives everywhere — from Canada to Florida, from New Mexico to Alaska,” Fenn said. “I will talk about the way this epidemic changed our history and how it gives us a new perspective on the period of the Revolutionary War, embracing regions of the continent that historians often ignore, including the Southwest.”
Fenn's research focuses on the early American West, epidemic disease, Native American history, and environmental history. Her award-winning book “Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82,” unearthed the devastating effects of the smallpox epidemic during the American Revolution. She was the first historian to document how deeply the epidemic affected the outcome of war and various populations during the early stages of the young republic.
Tickets for “Pox, Pustules, and Pestilence: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-1782” are $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and children. They can be purchased at the door the evening of the event or in advance at the Trinidad Community Foundation, 134 West Main Street, Suite 24. TSJC students and faculty may attend for free with a school identification card. All proceeds will benefit the Samaritan Clinic.
The Feb. 20 program is part of “CU in the Community,” a series of lectures by CU-Boulder faculty and staff. This community program is jointly sponsored by Trinidad State Junior College, Trinidad Community Foundation, Trinidad & Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce, and the CU-Boulder Office for University Outreach.
For more information about the event, email outreach@colorado.edu.