South Dakota Humanities Council Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary
The 2022 Festival of Books courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
The 2022 Festival of Books courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
For 50 years, the South Dakota Humanities Council has served as the only cultural organization in the state dedicated to delivering humanities programming to every citizen. Founded in 1972 as a local affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the South Dakota Humanities Council has evolved into a dynamic, independent nonprofit organization, maintaining seven ongoing initiatives, awarding thousands in annual grant funds, and serving as the South Dakota Center for the Book, a program established by the Library of Congress in 2002. In addition to celebrating 50 years of the South Dakota Humanities Council, 2022 marked 20 years of the Festival of Books, a key component of the South Dakota Center for the Book’s mission to celebrate literature in the state.
In September 2022, the Festival of Books Celebrated 20 years.
Courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
In September 2022, the Festival of Books Celebrated 20 years.
Courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
At its core, the South Dakota Humanities Council is dedicated to celebrating literature, promoting civic engagement, and telling the stories that define the state. It furthers this mission through advocacy and partnerships with other organizations and institutions working in the humanities, including nonprofits, schools, museums, and libraries. The South Dakota Humanities Council not only provides public humanities programming, but it also enables partners to host events themselves, reaching a wider audience and bringing the humanities to the 66 counties across the large geographical expanse of the state.
Since 2003, One Book South Dakota has united communities across the state through the discussion of literature, bringing new texts, scholars, and authors to readers. Alongside Book Club To-Go, the Speakers Bureau, and Young Readers, One Book South Dakota can be hosted by organizations anywhere in the state, empowering communities to bring relevant humanities programming directly to their citizens. From community colleges to tribal entities, any organization is eligible to apply and host, bringing free books and author tours to their area. In 2022, One Book South Dakota selected Our History Is the Future by Nick Estes, a nonfiction book exploring the historical context of the water protectors movement. In addition to touring the state as part of One Book South Dakota, Estes spoke at the 2022 Festival of Books in Brookings.
Our History Is the Future by Nick Estes.
Courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
Our History Is the Future by Nick Estes.
Courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
The South Dakota Humanities Council’s support goes beyond its independent initiatives with a robust annual grant program. In July 2022, the South Dakota Humanities Council awarded more than $60,000 in grants to organizations delivering humanities programming throughout the state. In Vermillion, the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival received funding to support their 2022 season, the eleventh year of free Shakespeare performances and arts education programming in the southeastern part of South Dakota. In Sioux Falls, the University of South Dakota Wegner Health Sciences Center was awarded funding for “Speaking of Health: A Pilot Speaker Series Featuring Health Humanities Books and Authors,” a hybrid reading, discussion, and event program designed to make health humanities more accessible in South Dakota for medical professionals, students, and the public.
Summer 2022 South Dakota Humanities Council Grants Recipients.
Courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
Summer 2022 South Dakota Humanities Council Grants Recipients.
Courtesy of South Dakota Humanities Council.
NEH congratulates the South Dakota Humanities Council on 50 years of service, making the humanities more engaging and accessible for all South Dakotans. To learn more about events in South Dakota, upcoming grant opportunities, and the South Dakota Humanities Council’s programming, visit sdhumanities.org.