Get to know Billy the Kid.

Billy the Kid (1859-1881) is likely the most-written-about character of the Old West. Part warm friend, part desperado, he roamed the Southwest in the late 1870s and early 1880s. His supporters, particularly Hispanics and women, celebrated his bravery and courage; opponents called him a gunman and murder. Which was he? Why are so many unsolved mysteries still surrounding him? What should we think about him? This slide-illustrated presentation will deal with both the life and legends of Billy the Kid.

Richard W. Etulain, a specialist in the history and literature of the American West, is professor emeritus of history at the University of New Mexico. The son of a Basque sheepman and frontier mother, he was raised on a sheep ranch in eastern Washington and took his doctorate at the University of Oregon. He is the author or editor of more than 50 books, including "Beyond the Missouri: The Story of the American West (1996)," "The Life and Legends of Calamity Jane (2014)," "Ernest Haycox and
the Western (2014)," and most recently "Presidents Who Shaped the American West (2018)." He is presently completing a two-volume study of Billy the Kid, scheduled for publication in 2019.


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