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About UsSupporting the Humanities in South Dakota Since 1972 The South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC), founded in 1972 in response to an act of Congress, is the only cultural organization in the state whose sole mission is to deliver humanities programming to the people of South Dakota. As a steward of the state's cultural awareness and heritage, the Council cultivates statewide interest in South Dakota history, literature and other related humanities subjects, while stimulating an interest in the state's place as part of the universal human experience. This programming vision forms the core mission of SDHC "to support and promote the exchange of ideas to foster a thoughtful and engaged society." The staff and board of directors of SDHC envision a South Dakota:
Financial Support for Humanities Programming The agency supports and promotes public programming as well as providing grant funding for programs in traditional humanities disciplines. Financial Grant Support is provided to community organizations through Discussion Grants, Media Grants, Research Grants, and an annual Teachers' Institute Grant focusing on American Indian culture. (Deadlines are August 30 or January 30 depending on category of funding for grant requests over $1,000.) A Strong Force for Literary Arts Programming
Traveling Scholars and Exhibits in Your Community The Speakers' Bureau program provides funding for humanities scholars to present on various topics throughout the state. An annual catalog features over nearly 60 presenters with more than 80 unique presentations, including Chautauqua-style characterizations. With this program, $5,000 is set aside in perpetuity specifically for American Indian cultural programs. Programs are encouraged on or near reservations. Civic Education for Students We the People is a civic education curriculum for 5th, 8th and 12th grade students. This curriculum allows for free and reduced-priced textbooks and a statewide civic education competition for high school students. There is also an annual workshop for teachers to learn more about this and other civic education programs. Over 1,500 South Dakota students are taught this curriculum. History Day is coordinated by the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum with funding and support through SDHC. Students in grades 6-12 complete a documentary, performance, website, exhibit, or write a paper about an annual theme. The theme for 2010 is "Innovation in History: Impact and Change." Sharing the Stories of South Dakota The newly-merged South Dakota Humanities Foundation launched the publication of South Dakota stories as a collection around topics sure to interest all South Dakotans. To date, three books organized around South Dakotan's unique experiences with one-room country schools, country churches, and home front efforts have been published. In the fall of 2009, watch for the release of the volume on farm and ranch stories.
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In 2002 the Library of Congress designated the South Dakota Humanities Council as the home of the South Dakota Center for the Book (SDCFB). Since its inception, the Center for the Book has carried out its mission to “celebrate the written word in South Dakota, extol the rich heritage of the state, and encourage authorship, literacy and reading.†It houses "Community Reading Programs," the "One Book South Dakota" program, an annual Festival of Books, a pilot project "Literature and Medicine," the youth reflective writing program "Letters about Literature," as well as authorship and research opportunities.