Learn. Remember. Heal.
Our Mission
The Sand Creek Massacre Foundation is the non-profit partner of the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, furthering its educational purposes and contributing to lifelong learning about the massacre. By supporting initiatives that encourage exploration of its relevance to our contemporary world, we seek to minimize the chances of similar atrocities from ever happening again. Our work honors the legacy of those who were lost, those who seek healing, and those who continue to be affected by this and other atrocities.
The Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site was established by congress to protect and preserve the landscape, enhance public understanding of the massacre, and assist in preventing similar atrocities from ever happening again.
A site unlike any other in America.
The Sand Creek Massacre is profound, symbolic, spiritual, controversial.
As 675 cavalrymen came around a prairie bend, the camps of Chiefs Black Kettle, White Antelope, and Left Hand lay in the valley before them. Seeing the soldiers approach, Chief Black Kettle raised an American flag and a small white flag on a lodge pole, as he had been instructed by military leaders: the tribes were at peace with the United States and were led to believe they were protected under its flag.
Chaotic, horrific, tumultuous, and bloody, the events of November 29, 1864 changed the course of history and forever altered the Cheyenne and Arapaho way of life.
US troops killed approximately 230 peaceful people - mostly women, children, and elders at the Big Sandy Creek. Among those massacred were Cheyenne and Arapaho chiefs and society headmen, severely impacting the traditional knowledge, language, social structures, ceremonies, songs, language, governing councils, and much more for generations.
The Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site is the place where their spirits reside, where we come to learn, to remember, to heal, and to make sure such atrocities never happen again. It is a site unlike any other in America.