How the story of Fort Garland has changed and what it means for Coloradans

Until recently, most people recognized Fort Garland in the San Luis Valley for its role in helping white colonialists pioneer the American West. A new exhibit at Fort Garland by History Colorado reframes this narrative to include the stories of hundreds of formerly enslaved Black Buffalo soldiers who lived and served at Fort Garland in the years following their emancipation. buffalo soldier’s reVision also features the history of Native people who occupied the land around Fort Garland for thousands of years prior to white settlers pushed them from their lands.

KGNU’s Alexis Kenyon spoke with Eric Carpio, Chief Community Museum Officer and Director of Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center at History Colorado about History Colorado’s new exhibit and the ways Colorado’s history is beginning to shift.