Elliott West, a historian known for his work on the American West, is scheduled to deliver the 2026 Stegner Lecture at Montana State University (MSU) on March 23. The event will take place at 6 p.m. in the Hager Auditorium of the Museum of the Rockies and is open to the public with no admission fee. A reception will follow.
West holds the title of Distinguished Professor of History emeritus at the University of Arkansas. He has authored several books and received multiple awards during his career. In 2024, he was awarded the Bancroft Prize in American History for his book “Continental Reckoning: The American West in the Age of Expansion.” This work was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in history.
Professor Timothy LeCain, head of MSU’s Department of History and Philosophy, described West’s recent book as “a gripping, continent-spanning story that puts the process of western expansion at the heart of American history.” LeCain further stated, “West has become not just one of our greatest historians of the West but also one of the greatest historians of the entire United States.”
The upcoming lecture will explore themes from West’s award-winning book. According to organizers, it will examine how America’s westward expansion in the 1840s played a significant role—comparable to that of the Civil War—in shaping modern America’s economic and global position. West plans to discuss changes such as developments in western science and evolving ideas about citizenship that contributed to contemporary American society.
LeCain commented on its relevance: “This is a lecture anyone interested in American history will not want to miss,” he said. “West will challenge you to reckon in new ways with our region’s powerful role in creating the modern nation we live in today.”
The Stegner Lecture series is supported by MSU’s Wallace Stegner Endowed Chair in Western American Studies and honors Wallace Stegner, who is recognized as an influential novelist and historian with ties to Montana. The chair focuses on teaching and research related to Western issues within MSU’s College of Letters and Science.
Montana State University serves as Montana’s land-grant institution with its main campus located in Bozeman. It operates four campuses along with Extension offices throughout all 56 counties across Montana (official website). The university emphasizes collaboration, stewardship, hands-on research opportunities for students, educational access, community engagement through outreach activities (official website), and addressing global challenges (official website).
For additional information about this event or related programs, contact MSU’s Department of History and Philosophy at history@montana.edu.
