As an Oglala Lakota citizen with Cheyenne ancestry, the idea of celebrating the 150th year of Colorado’s statehood is complicated for Richard Williams.
“When we look back on those 150 years, it hasn’t been pretty for us,” Williams said. “In fact, it’s very difficult to find anything to celebrate.”
Williams is the president of People of the Sacred Land, a nonprofit working to uncover American Indian history in Colorado. The organization published the Truth, Restoration and Education Commission reports, or TREC reports, two years ago that highlight and quantify the losses Colorado’s Native tribes have incurred, including valuing the taken land at $1.17 trillion…