Western Writers of America’s 2026 Symposium Coming to Cody
The Western Writers of America (WWA) and the Homestead Foundation will host the James Ersfeld Symposium, “Buffalo Bill Cody and the Bison in American History,” at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West on September 11–12, 2026, in Cody, Wyoming. The two-day gathering brings together leading historians, authors, and curators to explore the life of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and the enduring story of the American bison.
The annual symposium hosted by the Buffalo Bill Museum and McCracken Library offers scholars, writers, and the public a rare chance to examine one of the most influential figures in Western history alongside the animal that shaped the American plains. Sessions will span museums, literature, film, and the future of the bison today.
Friday, September 11, opens with a reception at the Kyper Dining Pavilion from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. The evening begins with a cocktail and appetizer reception at 5:00 p.m., followed by a welcome at 5:30 p.m. and a Remembering 9/11 tribute at 5:45 p.m. The WWA will honor its most recent and posthumous (2016-2026) Western Writers Hall of Fameinductees at 6:00 p.m., including the “Gone with the West” presentation at 6:30 p.m. Early arrivals can also tour the Buffalo Bill Museum.
Saturday, September 12, moves to the Coe Auditorium, with doors opening at 7:45 a.m. and coffee and danishes at 8:00 a.m. Stuart Rosebrook, WWA President, delivers opening remarks at 8:20 a.m. Three panel discussions follow: “Buffalo Bill Cody in Museums” at 8:30 a.m., moderated by Rosebrook with panelists Paul Andrew Hutton, Andrew Patrick Nelson, and Paul Fees; “Buffalo Bill in Literature and Film” at 9:45 a.m., moderated by Chuck Rankin with panelists Paul Andrew Hutton, Andrew Patrick Nelson, and Bill Markley; and “The American Buffalo Today” at 11:00 a.m., featuring Kathleen O’Neal Gear, Michael Gear and Ken Klemm.
After a noon lunch at the BBCW Cafeteria, Dr. Paul Andrew Hutton, Hal and Naoma Tate Endowed Chair and Curator of Western History, presents the afternoon keynote, “The Man Who Invented the West: Buffalo Bill Cody,” at 1:30 p.m. A library tour and book signings at the BBCW Book Store follow at 3:00 p.m. The day concludes at the Kyper Dining Pavilion with a reception at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:00 p.m., and an evening keynote at 7:00 p.m. by Jane Little Botkin, who will discuss her new book, The Breath of a Buffalo: The Life of Mary Ann Goodnight, published by the University of Oklahoma Press.
2026 James Ersfeld Symposium
When: Sept 11-12, 2026
Where: Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Registration & Schedule: https://westernwriters.org/ersfeld-symposium/
The symposium will also be a landmark moment for Western literature with the official induction of an exceptional class of authors into the Western Writers Hall of Fame. Recent Owen Wister Award honorees joining the Hall include Dr. Paul Andrew Hutton (2026), Craig Johnson, Quintard Taylor, Joseph M. Marshall III, Irene Bennett Brown, W. Michael and Kathleen O’Neal Gear, Johnny D. Boggs, Will Bagley, Rudolfo Anaya, Louise Erdrich, and Lucia St. Clair Robson. The ceremony will also posthumously induct Jeb Rosebrook (2026) alongside Bret Harte, Marty Robbin, Charles Badger Clark, Vine Deloria Jr., Conrad Richter, Johnny Cash, Paul Horgan, Norman Maclean, and John G. Neihardt — literary and cultural giants whose contributions to the American West continue to resonate across generations.
“It is a genuine privilege to bring together so many respected voices to examine the life and legacy of Buffalo Bill Cody,” said Stuart Rosebrook, WWA President. “Gatherings like this remind us how deeply his story—and that of the American bison—remains woven into who we are. We look forward to a weekend of scholarship, conversation, and shared celebration of Western history.”
The James Ersfeld Symposium is an annual event held at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. This prestigious Symposium is held in honor of the late historian James Ersfeld, WWA’s former assistant director, who died in 2011, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2027, on the 125th anniversary of the publication of Owen Wister’s The Virginian, the Symposium will be held at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West to commemorate the original American art form, the Western novel.
About the Western Writers of America
The Western Writers of America champions the literature and history of the American West, supporting authors, historians, and storytellers who preserve and share the region’s heritage. Through symposiums, awards, and its Hall of Fame, the WWA fosters scholarship and public appreciation of Western culture. The Homestead Foundation partners with the WWA to advance educational programs and historical preservation.
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