Within the historical missions, churches and other vestiges of the Spanish colonial presence in the Southwest lies a more complex history of the missionaries who attempted to make Spaniards of the Natives. Drawing on his research over the past decade, Harrison will address the many approaches and backgrounds of the Franciscans and other colonial Spanish churchmen who established missions in New Mexico, Texas, Sonora, California and other locations in between. A question-and-answer session will follow.

The Center of Southwest Studies, now in its 51st year, provides an active program of free public lectures and events year-round at its museum, research library, and archives facility on the campus of Fort Lewis College in Durango. For more information, contact the center’s business office at 970-247-7456 or visit swcenter.fortlewis.edu.