News – Sheridan Media
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On Thursday, June 11 The Brinton Museum hosted an oral history roundtable presentinon in conjunction with The Unfinished War: The Battle of the Little Bighorn in Native American Art.
This roundtable brought together tribal members to share personal and ancestral connections to the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Through lived memory, oral tradition, and community knowledge, speakers offered perspectives that deepen understanding of the histories represented in the exhibition.
Participants include Wallace Bearchum, Linwood Tallbull, Donovan Taylor, and Bently Spang (Northern Cheyenne), Dan Dupris and Donovin Sprague (Lakota), and Mardell Plainfeather and Vernon Whiteman Runs Him,(Crow). Jochen Wierich, Brinton curatorial director, introduced the program.
The event was held in the gallery on the third floor, as the S.K. Gallery, is fairly narrow for such a large group, Wierich added. They projected a few slides of the art on display to illustrate the talks. The gallery was open after the talk to give attendees a chance to see the artwork on display.
This exhibit gives the Native American perspectives of the Custer battle as expressed through Native American art. Some of the artwork was created by survivors of the Custer Battle. There are multiple native perspectives of the battle. “In the spirit of multiple voices, we have invited eight speakers who share their memories of the battle through oral history,” Weirich added
Wallace Bearchum, Northern Cheyenne, was master of ceremonies, and he introduced the speakers. He introduced the first speaker, Donovan Taylor. Taylor is a member of the Cheyenne Dog Soldier Warrior Society, and he said a traditional prayer and sang two traditional songs.
He talked about the various societies within the Cheyenne warrior culture, and how some of the songs could only be sung in the ceremonies.
Next speaker was Mardell Plainfeather. She worked at the Custer Battlefield for quite a while, and she said they had thousands of visitors who wanted to know all about the battle. She talked about the paintings of the artist White Swan. He was the only one of the six Crow scouts who painted the memories of the battle.
She added that during the battle his hand was nearly shot off, and he painted with only one hand.
Bearchum then introduced Vernon Whiteman Runs Him, whose ancestor was a Crow scout for Custer.
Next speaker was Donovin Sprague (Lakota), who teaches at Sheridan College. His classes ranging from Native American history and art to tribal laws and treaties. He has given several programs around the Sheridan area and has written several books about his family.
Following him was Dan Dupris, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe He was talking about the artist Amos Bad Horn Bull.
Linwood Tall Bull was the next speaker; he is an expert on native plants and their traditional uses. One of his ancestors, Jacob Tall Bull fought in the Custer Battle.
The final speaker was Bently Spang, who exhibited a photo of his father on his favorite horse with the Custer monument in the background.
On June 17, there will be a re-enactment of the Rosebud Battle, the Youth Riders are on their way from South Dakota to the Rosebud Battlefield. Bearchum said,
This program provided a unique opportunity to hear directly from voices connected to the histories of Greasy Grass, continuing the dialogue between art, memory, and lived experience.
A large crowd attended the event. The art exhibit is on display through September 14.
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Last modified: June 15, 2026