Mary Fields: At the Junction of History and Myth

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Program Description

“Mary Fields: at the Junction of History and Myth,” with Leslie Budewitz, tells the story of Montanan Mary Fields (ca. 1832-1914). Born into slavery, Fields spent the last 30 years of her life in Montana, ten of them working with the Ursuline Sisters at St. Peter’s Mission near Cascade. “Mary Fields: at the Junction of History and Myth” explores the historical record on the Black experience in 19^th century Montana. Further, Budewitz explores the missionary era in Montana, and discusses how historical fiction can help Montanans better understand the past and the present.

Presenter Bio

Leslie Budewitz is a lawyer, fiction writer and a native Montanan, who is passionate about telling the stories of forgotten people, particularly women, and how their lives and experiences relate to and reflect on our Montana history and heritage. Budewitz has produced 18 books and many more short stories and articles. Her most recent book, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection] (Beyond the Page Books, Sept 2024), imagines the life and heart of Mary Fields through historical fiction. As a novelist, Budewitz uses her research experience for asking questions to dive deeper into the subjects that drive her historical fiction practice.]