2020 SDHC Program Catalog by South Dakota Humanities Council

From Picketing

TO Peace 2020 Program Catalog

SDHC Staff: Ann Volin, Executive Director

ann@sdhumanities.org

Jennifer Widman, Director of the Center for the Book

jennifer@sdhumanities.org

Carolyn Marshall-Speakman, Office Manager

carolyn@sdhumanities.org

Deb Delaney, Program Assistant

deb@sdhumanities.org

Melinda Berdanier, Project Coordinator

melinda@sdhumanities.org

Table of Contents Donate.............................................1 One Book, YR One Book.............2 Festival Previews..........................3 Grants..............................................4 Scholar Directory.....................5-15 Teachings of 2020 One Book.......16

FY 2019 Annual Report Stats, DA Awards...........................17 Fundraising, One Book...............18 Vets, Young Readers....................19 Festival Recap...............................20 Reading Memories, Award........21 Donors.......................................22-24 Board of Directors.......................25

About the SDHC

he South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC), founded in 1972 in response to an act of Congress, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and the only cultural organization in the state whose sole mission is to deliver humanities programming to the people of South Dakota. As a statewide advocate for the humanities, our mission is to celebrate literature, promote civil conversation, and tell the stories that define our state. We fulfill our mission by supporting and promoting public programming in the humanities like the Speakers Bureau, providing grant funding for community programs and research and discussion projects in our grants program, and hosting reading and literary programs like the annual Festival of Books, Young Readers Initiative and One Book South Dakota.

Welcome to the SDHC From the executive director T hanks for joining us to explore the humanities. Being in partnership with you allows us to provide what I believe is at the core of the humanities: time to listen and consider others’ ideas, time to read and discuss, time to mull over your own thoughts for greater understanding. Our One Book South Dakota, Unfollow, offers a chance to enter a conversation with author Megan Phelps-Roper and hear her think about why she changed in order to be more considerate of her fellow humans. We recently had our first book club set of Unfollow books returned to the office. All eight books were there, all in crisp condition, not a dog-eared page amongst the set — and how very nice to have a resilient woman venture out on a day that dawned at 20 degrees below zero to make sure she returned the books on time. She eagerly said how much they all enjoyed the book, and how it reminded them that life isn’t black and white — and how the author made them realize they had to think a little more about others. Our Young Readers One Book, Bink and Gollie: Three for One will provide second and third graders an early chance to talk about literature and its ideas. When

From the board chair

he South Dakota Humanities Council’s vision is to lead statewide advocacy for the humanities, working with other partners to foster literary and civic engagement. As chair of the board, I am honored to be part of such a great organization that continues to provide tools for many in South Dakota to tell their stories. We are inspired by the attendance and engagement at our South Dakota Festival of Books each year. We also are appreciative of the efforts of all the programs created from the grants we award each year. We hope folks around our state continue the efforts to celebrate literature, promote civil conversation, and tell the stories that define our state. Thank you

they share ideas about the books, we imagine that they’ll be excited, that they’ll have trouble sitting still, and that they’ll raise their hands and Ann Volin wave them wildly to ask a question. They’ll be as civil they are able to at eight and nine years old, and we hope that they take that ability to converse with them as they grow up. We also hope that you can be part of a Speakers Bureau event. Our scholars offer ways to interact with ideas that you might agree with — or have questions about. Choose from topics such as the Stavig letters, Oscar Micheaux, or women’s suffrage. Maybe you’ll get excited like our Young Readers or maybe it will lead you to think a little more about others, like the book club members did. The Festival of Books October 2-4 in Brookings will offer ways to engage with authors and readers — and ideas by the book load! Hear journalists discuss civil discourse or poets share poems of South Dakota. Thanks for checking out the South Dakota Humanities Council. We can’t wait to meet with you, talk with you, and interact with you!

to each and every one of you who encourage students to read and engage in our Young Readers Initiative and the Young Readers Festival of Books.

Whitney Rencountre

We’re also thankful to all of our staff for their hard work and dedication to ensure that SDHC continues to reach our objectives each year. We are especially appreciative of all the volunteers that help promote our work throughout the state. We encourage you to stay updated and engaged in our work by visiting our website, sdhumanities.org.

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

I would like my donation to be classified as:

Name: Street Address:

S.D. Festival of Books & Young Readers Festival

City: State:

Donate | 1

Unrestricted Gift

Zip:

Endowment Fund Other:

Phone: Email: Credit Card:

I would like to have a conversation about a planned gift or putting SDHC in my will.

Donation amount: CVC:

Expiration:

Building Lifelong Memories for Readers of All Ages

id you know your donations help bring the biggest names in literature to South Dakota and bolster humanities programs in the state, supporting future readers and writers for generations to come? Since 2003, donor support has helped us feature Pulitzer Prize winners Timothy Egan, Marilynne Robinson, and Michael Dirda, National Book Award winners Louise Erdrich, Tim O’Brien, and many more at the South Dakota Festival of Books. The 2020 Festival will feature Megan Phelps-Roper, Melanie Benjamin, author of The Aviator’s Wife and Mistress of the Ritz, and Carson Vaughan, author of Zoo Nebraska.

Help us add to this list of luminaries by making a Festival-specific donation today, or help secure the future of the South Dakota Humanities Council with a Legacy Pledge or gift to our Endowment or Unrestricted Fund.

sdhumanities.org/give

SDHC’s Donation Fund Options Festival of Books

Help us continue to unite readers and writers with a donation to our annual South Dakota Festival of Books and Young Readers Festival of Books.

Unrestricted Gift

You can help where SDHC needs it most. An unrestricted gift can be used for operations expenses, programming and special initiatives.

Legacy Pledge

Many donors make a gift to SDHC in their will or estate planning. Mature stocks, life insurance policies, and IRA rollovers can easily be processed by our Community Foundation partners.

Endowment Funds

Guarantee our organization’s future and donate to endowment funds at Black Hills Area Community Foundation, South Dakota Community Foundation and/or Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation.

2 | One Book, YR One Book

South Dakota Humanities Council

2020 One Book SD Facilitates Valuable Conversations on Civil Discourse

he granddaughter of infamous religious zealot and Westboro Baptist Church pastor Fred Phelps, Megan Phelps-Roper grew up protesting funerals before leaving the Westboro Baptist Church and most of her family behind in 2012 and eventually moving to Clark, where she lives with her husband Chad and daughter Sølvi. Unfollow chronicles her life in Kansas from childhood through adulthood, her departure from the church during her mid-20s, and the unlikely series of events that led her to South Dakota.

"I'm so, so excited to share with the beautiful people of this state how the power of civil dialogue changed my life for the better," she said. Having been featured on Good Morning America and excerpted in People Magazine, Unfollow is on the national radar. It received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which said, “PhelpsRoper’s intelligence and compassion shine throughout with electric prose.” Now an educator on topics related to overcoming ideological extremism

and improving communication across religious and political divides, PhelpsRoper has spent much of her life in the national spotlight, from appearing on programs like The Tyra Banks Show during her protest days to performing a Ted Talk with more than eight million views after leaving the church. “We’re pleased to feature such an inspiring story of national significance, and we’re especially excited that it’s told by one of our state’s own residents,” said Jennifer Widman, director of the South Dakota Festival of Books. “This book will lead to valuable conversations about civil discourse and the miraculous ability of humans to change their minds and habits. Exploring what it means to be human is the cornerstone of our mission.” *READ MORE ABOUT UNFOLLOW ON P. 16.*

Bink, Gollie and Alison McGhee: A ‘3 for 1’ Deal

past Festival presenter, Alison McGhee returns to the Festival of Books in 2020 with two adorable — and famous — characters in tow. The 2020 Young Readers One Book Bink & Gollie: Three for One stars the irrepressible and precocious Bink and Gollie, created by McGhee and Kate DiCamillo, a Newbery medalist and past Festival presenter. Setting out from their super-deluxe tree house and powered by plenty of peanut butter (for Bink) and pancakes (for Gollie), the girls share three comical adventures involving painfully bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion. While she will be featured in the Young Readers track, McGhee will also lead sessions for adults. “A versatile writer and a generous mentor for aspiring authors, Alison has been successful writing for children and adults,” Widman said. “We’re excited to have her return.”

Alison McGhee leads at writing workshop at the 2017 South Dakota Festival of Books.

medal, a MacDowell residency and several American Library Association awards. A professor of creative writing at Metropolitan State University, McGhee has three grown children and lives a semi-nomadic life in Minneapolis, Vermont and California.

In addition to winning the Theodor Geisel Award in 2011 for Bink and Gollie, McGhee’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel Shadow Baby was a Today Show Book Club pick, and her picture book for adults, Someday, was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. Her honors include four Minnesota Book Awards, the Geisel

“I was thrilled to hear that the Bink and Gollie books are the Young Readers selection for 2020! My marvelous collaborators Tony Fucile and Kate DiCamillo and I had so much fun making the books together, and I can’t wait to laugh over Bink and Gollie’s antics with kids in South Dakota next year,” she said. “From all three of us, thanks for choosing us!”

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

Festival Previews | 3

2020 Festival Features Acclaimed Authors for Youth, Adult Readers Readers, rejoice – and mark your calendars! Plans for the 2020 South Dakota Festival of Books are well underway. The event will kick off with Young Readers Festival activities on Thursday, Oct. 1 in Sioux Falls and continue with sessions for all ages and interests Oct. 2-4 in Brookings. Headlining the 18th annual Festival will be Megan PhelpsRoper, author of the 2020 One Book South Dakota, Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. She will be joined by at least 60 other writers, illustrators and publishing professionals, including • Robert Dugoni, bestselling thriller novelist (more than five million books sold) and writing craft teacher, will discuss his process and experiences Above, Carson Vaughan, author of Zoo Nebraska, socializes during the 2019 Festival of Books Author Reception. Vaughan will participate in the 2020 Festival and Democracy and the Informed Citizen programming.

Below, young readers browse books in Exhibitors Hall at the 2019 Festival of Books in Deadwood. The Young Readers Festival was started in 2014 to boost reading habits of elementary school students.

• Melanie Benjamin, author of national bestsellers like The Aviator’s Wife and Mistress of the Ritz, will explain why she believes “facts are for the historian, but emotions are the province of the novelist” • Carson Vaughan, author of Zoo Nebraska, will discuss his book and join other journalists in examining the media environment as part of SDHC’s Democracy and the Informed Citizen initiative • Sally Roesch Wagner, editor of The Women’s Suffrage Movement, will lead a diverse group of scholars and writers in commemorating the national centennial of women’s suffrage • South Dakota Poet Laureate Christine Stewart will celebrate excellence in poetry that speaks to the state’s cultural life through a session on the publication of South Dakota in Poems: An Anthology

For Young Readers: McGhee, Sheinken, Many More The Young Readers Festival of Books will feature Alison McGhee, co-author of the 2020 Young Readers One Book, Bink & Gollie: Three for One. She and other children’s and young adult authors and illustrators will visit schools and cultural venues like the Washington Pavilion and the Children’s Museum of South Dakota. The authors and illustrators will include • Steve Sheinkin, author of historical books for middle-graders, such as Born to Fly: The First Women’s Air Race across America • Andrea Page, a Hunkpapa Lakota author whose first book, Sioux Code Talkers of World War II, includes the story of her great-uncle John Bear King. For updates on Festival presenters and events, visit

SDBOOKFESTIVAL.COM

4 | Grants

South Dakota Humanities Council

SDHC-Funded Grants and Programs T

he South Dakota Humanities Council awards funds to nonprofit organizations in South Dakota through community project grants of up to $7,000 for humanities-related projects and events, providing vital and educational cultural programming for communities.

Review grant guidelines and information and apply online at sdhumanities.org. Direct questions to grants@sdhumanities.org or (605) 688-6113. Guidelines are subject to change; visit the website to stay apprised. SDHC grants over $1,000 (also known as “Major” grants) support miscellaneous expenses such as bussing costs for student cultural trips, scholar appearances at community conversation events, documentary films, and educational programs. They’re divided into two categories: discussion and research.

Discussion Grants

Fund conferences, lectures, presentations, festivals, and symposiums that engage people in humanities discussion, up to $7,000. Programs must examine topics from a humanities perspective and use various forms of media to advance that effort.

South Dakota Shakespeare Festival is one of 28 major grant projects funded by the South Dakota Humanities Council in 2019. Photo by Laura Vidler.

Research Grants

Fund scholarly research in the humanities, up to $2,500. Improve your chances by choosing a topic relevant to South Dakota culture and heritage. Include a plan in your application for a minimum of three public presentations of your research.

Grants $1,000 or under (also known as “Mini” grants) are awarded for various humanities programs. Evaluated on a case-by-case basis, they are distributed as funding allows with a rolling deadline. Apply today at:

SDHUMANITIES.ORG/GRANTS

Other SDHC-funded Programs: Host a Speaker or Discussion Leader for $50 Host a program 1. Book Club to Go - Borrow one of our titles for your book club 2. One Book SD - Borrow our current One Book for your book club 3. Speakers Bureau - Bring a scholar to your community to lead your group in one of the two above options, or to speak on a variety of topics (see opposite page).

Apply today:

sdhumanities.org/programs

e also offer grant-funded public programs with shorter applications and time frames to facilitate inexpensive humanities events for libraries, schools and other organizations — with an application process that allows you to host a Speakers Bureau member in three types of programs: Speakers Bureau, Book Club to Go and One Book SD.

Speakers Bureau events are informative presentations covering a variety of topics, while One Book SD and Book Club to Go programs are scholarled book club discussions, with the former using the current One Book SD and the latter using any book in our lending library. These programs,

especially helpful in communities with limited funding, encourage thoughtful community conversations and reading. Apply for just $50. No applicant will be turned away for lack of funds.

Join the Discussion

Apply to host a One Book SD reading group at sdhumanities.org. Your $50 application fee will get you up to 30 copies of Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church from our Lending Library and, if you’d like, an SDHC scholar to lead your group discussion.

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

Scholar directory | 5

Geraldine Goes in Center is part of the “Dakota Daughters” Speakers Bureau group that is commemorating the upcoming 130-year anniversary of the December 29, 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre. Dakota Daughters, which also includes Lillian Witt and Joyce Jefferson, is one of many SDHC-granted groups who make it a priority to educate South Dakotans by relaying historical information in an interesting, entertaining and memorable way.

2020 SDHC Scholar Directory S

DHC scholars provide humanities education and entertainment — covering humanities disciplines like sociology, literature, music, history, art — to communities around the state of South Dakota for a flat fee of just $50. Speakers Bureau programs, including Chautauqua performers (historical re-enactors) and expertise-based presenters, teach audiences about various topics.

Scholars also lead book clubs and community discussions on the 2020 One Book, Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church, or any other book in the SDHC Lending Library. SDHC scholars present programs on topics for all ages and backgrounds, with nearly 150 Speakers Bureau events annually.

How To Apply

Follow these steps for a successful program: • Contact the scholar to confirm availability and program for your event. • At least four to six weeks before your program, apply online ($50 fee). • Coordinator and scholar will receive follow-up information from SDHC. • Promote your event! Be sure to acknowledge SDHC and NEH. • Host your event. Welcome your scholar and thank SDHC for program support. • Complete evaluation and submit to SDHC within two weeks of event. Apply today at: SDHUMANITIES.ORG/SPEAKERS

Scholar Directory Key = Chautauqua (actor performance) = Book Club to Go (book discussion leader) = One Book SD (One Book discussion leader) Note: all scholars are available for Speakers Bureau presentations, unless otherwise noted. This key denotes additional specialty services each speaker will perform upon request.

6 | Scholar Directory

South Dakota Humanities Council

Marilyn Carlson Aronson

Roderick Brown

A River Runs Through It: The Missouri River Is an Enigma

Discovering Dakota: A People & Land of Infinite Variety

Retired Academic Dean/Professor mcarlson@iw.net | (605) 957-4371

Aronson discusses how modern technology has tried to tame the mighty Missouri River and harness its energy to meet the growing needs of the people in the Missouri River Basin. She also delves into the building of the six giant dams on the Missouri River and explores which groups benefited most and least from the flood control projects. She asserts that the Missouri River cannot be fully tamed by modern technology and continues to provide water of uncertain quantity and quality.

Kiera Ball

Presentation College kiera.ball@presentation.edu (763) 486-8508

Heirloom: Creative Life Writing

This workshop-style presentation provides a space for participants to identify important life memories and record them onto paper through fun, hands-on activities.

Molly Barari

https://mollybarari.com Master of Fine Arts mollybarari@gmail.com | (308) 440-0047

Heirlooms: Creative Life Writing for Adults

Barari helps adults identify important life memories and record their stories onto paper through fun, hands-on activities. While most societies have oral storytelling traditions that teach us about history and culture, written records of events help explore the human experience. Written stories can be passed to future generations, and creative writing not only preserves valuable memories, but also sharpens the mind and provides a therapeutic outlet. Participants should bring writing materials.

Verna K. Boyd

Independent Scholar, Pastor robrown925@gmail.com | (605) 770-8493 Everyone comes from somewhere and everyone’s story is worth telling, and hearing! The questions are: Where did we come from? Why did we come here? What have we done since coming here? What are we building for the future?

Patricia Catches the Enemy

Lakota Elder, Retired nell8@goldenwest.net | (605) 867-1282

Boarding School Days (1940s to present)

Catches the Enemy discusses boarding school days on the reservation, having lived and experienced life on the Pine Ridge Reservation from 1941 to present — to include the goodness in the struggles of living off the land, the boarding school era, her own battles with alcohol, faith (traditional spiritual beliefs vs. Catholic belief) and health issues of cancer and healing.

Phyllis Cole-Dai

https://phylliscoledai.com/ Author, Public Speaker phyllis@phylliscoledai.com | (605) 592-6293

The 1862 U.S.-Dakota War Through Sarah Wakefield’s Eyes

Consider the 1862 Dakota Uprising in Minnesota from the perspective of Sarah Wakefield. During the uprising, Wakefield was married to a government physician on the Dakota (or Sioux) reservation. Captured with her two young children the first morning of the outbreak, Wakefield had a controversial and tragic relationship with Caske, her Dakota captor and protector. Cole-Dai shares captivating stories behind her writing of Beneath the Same Stars, her novel that dives into this history. She leads her audience on a journey from a family cemetery in Rhode Island to the ruins of the Upper Sioux Agency in Minnesota; to the kitchen table of a Dakota elder in Peever, SD, exploring a largely forgotten history that still haunts this region.

vkboyd.1956@gmail.com | (605) 594-6731

Journey into The Past

Boyd introduces audiences to the First Nations people who made their home in southeastern South Dakota — Omaha, Ponca, Ioway — and discusses their traditional way of life. Farming techniques and crops are discussed, while artifacts, sample trade items, replicas of a dog travois, tools and pottery are discussed and exhibited. SDHC Speakers Bureau programs feature film screenings, book discussions and more.

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

Scholar directory | 7

Jace DeCory

Asst. Professor Emerita, BHSU jace.decory@bhsu.edu | (605) 722-8648

Traditional Lakota Philosophy

DeCory discusses Lakota philosophy and how it relates to modern American culture.

Betsey DeLoache

http://www.redbirdstudiosd.com Owner, Red Bird Studio betseydsd@mncomm.com | (605) 222-0665

Country Schools: Past and Present A group gathers for a September 2019 book discussion on Neither Wolf nor Dog, led by Molly Rozum at Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library in Vermillion.

Dyanis Conrad-Popova

https://www.usd.edu/faculty-and-staff/Dyanis-Popova Assistant Professor, USD Dyanis.Popova@usd.edu | (540) 597-4758

Culture and Schooling

The way that students read and understand the world and connect to society and community is heavily shaped by their life experiences and social identities. A welcoming and inclusive school environment can create the space for students to grow and blossom. This presentation explores the intersections of culture and schooling in the United States and provides educators with time to reflect on and shape a schooling experience that celebrates the experiences and cultures of all students.

Marian Cramer

mariancramer@yahoo.com | (605) 270-4904

Remembering Laura Ingalls Wilder, Her Family and Her Friends

Cramer tells stories of Laura, her family and friends in her historical time and from her perspective. She uses information gleaned from the 11 oral histories she conducted of early Kingsbury County settlers who personally knew Ingalls Wilder, and members of her family.

Curtis Dahl

https://www.sissetonmuseum.com/ Stavig House Museum cadahl45@gmail.com | (605) 467-3142

The Stavig Letters

See description under John and Jane Rasmussen, P. 14.

DeLoache will describe her research as a city slicker learning firsthand what defines country schools as described by folks she interviewed who were students and/ or teachers, as well as discussing her personal experience visiting operating country schools from 2012-2019. She explains her process of illustrating the schoolhouses to document and preserve them and discusses “country culture” and the ethnic background of folks who settled and lived in the northern central states.

Lawrence Diggs

http://www.ldiggs.com/ Speaker public@ldiggs.com | (605) 486-4536

Connecting Communities

Humans are feeling beings that think, not thinking beings that feel. The motivation we feel to connect with others comes more from what we feel about them than what we think about them. This program presents ways to lower the resistance to meeting and interacting with people. Drawing on some groundbreaking research, it focuses on getting people to feel differently. It has been shown that if people feel differently they will likely think differently. In this interactive discussion participants will discover what others are doing and what they can do to bring communities together. Music expert Ted Gioia, author of “The History of Jazz,” discusses the effect of technology on music during a program presented by the CLASSICS Institute at Dakota State University in Madison. Gioia was part of “The Cultural Consequences of Computers” discussion series sponsored by an SDHC major grant.

8 | Scholar Directory

South Dakota Humanities Council

Anne Dilenschneider

Wayne Fanebust

Healing Our Shared Past, Present, and Future: The Hiawatha Indian Insane Asylum

Chasing Frank and Jesse James: The Bungled Northfield Bank Robbery and the Long Manhunt

Pegie Douglas

Jerry Fogg

The Life & Music of Badger Clark: South Dakota’s First Poet Laureate

Healing Our Shared Past, Present, and Future: The Hiawatha Indian Insane Asylum

Counselor, Writer, Educator, Consultant dradilenschneider@gmail.com | (605) 906-5404

Note: This presentation is best as a combined presentation with fellow Humanities Scholar Jerry Fogg. From 1902-1933, Native Americans who misbehaved in boarding schools or who angered reservation agents were incarcerated at the Hiawatha Asylum in Canton, SD – the linchpin of federal Indian policy. By the time it closed, 400 Native Americans from across the United States had been incarcerated there. Until recently, this part of our state and national history was virtually unknown. Now, Anne and Jerry share this story in order to heal this wound in our own time.

https://www.pegiedouglas.com/ Musician, Historian pegiedouglas411@gmail.com | (919) 414-9383

Writer wfanebust@gmail.com | 605-496-8730

Frank and Jesse James, the infamous brothers from Missouri, rode with marauding Confederate guerrillas during the Civil War. Having learned to kill and raid without compunction, they easily transitioned from rebels to outlaws after the war, robbing stage coaches, banks and trains in Missouri and surrounding states. A botched bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, followed by an improbable escape through the Dakota Territory and Iowa, elevated the James brothers from notorious criminals to legendary figures of American history and folklore.

https://www.facebook.com/NativeSoulArt Cultural Historian, Artist jerryfogg@sio.midco.net | (605) 254-8189

Badger Clark is a treasure for South Dakota. He is a nationally known poet. His books are still popular and still in print, and his poems and music remain relevant today. Douglas presents a one-hour show that includes narration of Badger’s life and at least 10 of his poems set to various music. She sings and plays the guitar.

Arley Fadness

Note: This presentation is best as a combined presentation with fellow Humanities Scholar Anne Dilenschneider; see program description at left.

Geraldine Goes in Center

wasnawinyan@gmail.com | (605) 220-6475

Dakota Daughters: Wounded Knee 1890, Three Women, Three Lives, Three Cultures

Writer, Author, Clergy, Draftsman arpamfad@gwtc.net | 605-201-4241

Black Bart - Feared Stagecoach Robber

Black Bart struck terror in the southwest Sierras by spewing intimidation and angst upon the Wells Fargo Stagecoach line company. But oh — what the authorities discovered when his reign of terror came to an inglorious end. Fadness discusses the adventures of the infamous outlaw in this program.

Dakota Daughters Lillian Witt, Geraldine Goes in Center and Joyce Jefferson commemorate the upcoming 130year anniversary of the December 29, 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre by relaying historical information in an interesting, entertaining and memorable way. They hope that when people see their play, they will realize that while our skin colors, cultures, and beliefs are different, deep down we are not all that different. By looking into the past, we can find peace, closure and understanding in the future. After all, we are all related, or as our Lakota sisters and brothers say, Mitakuye Oyasin.

APPLY FOR NEXT YEAR We encourage Speakers Bureau scholars to apply each fall for the following year. Scholar applications are reviewed by a committee of SDHC board members. To be included on a list for 2019, call (605) 688-6113 or email info@sdhumanities.org. The committee reviews scholar applicants’ academic background and presentation experience combined with their knowledge of humanities subjects relevant to South Dakota.

SDHUMANITIES.ORG

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

Scholar directory | 9

Patrick Hicks

http://patrickhicks.org/ Professor, Augustana University patrick.hicks@augie.edu | (605) 274-5434

The History of Auschwitz

Hicks will discuss how this notorious concentration camp grew in size from 1939 until 1945 and talk about what it means for us today. He can also discuss his novel, The Commandant of Lubizec, which is based upon Auschwitz and the other Operation Reinhard camps. Photos of the camp and discussion are usually part of this accessible talk, which he has given in many high schools and other venues in South Dakota.

Peter Hoesing

https://peterhoesing.com/ Director of Sponsored Programs, Faculty Affiliate, DSU peter.hoesing@dsu.edu | (850) 566-4929

Musical Healing Repertories and Ecologies of Wellbeing in Uganda Hoesing explores his main body of research in a 30-60 minute presentation — best suited to adult audiences — with repertories from two of southern Uganda’s ethnolinguistic groups, the Baganda and the Basoga. They reveal traditional healing in Uganda to be a highly social activity in which musical sound features prominently at nearly every stage throughout the diagnostic and therapeutic trajectory. They also highlight the close linkages among people, their lands, their crops, animals both domestic and wild, and the medicinal plants of the forest that they use so well. Wayne Gilbert speaks at the 2019 West River History Conference, one of many events sponsored by the South Dakota Humanities Council. The conference, organized by a group based in Rapid City, was held Oct. 10-12, 2019 in Deadwood. For more information about SDHC grants, for which applications are accepted twice per year (Feb. 28 and Oct. 15), please visit sdhumanities.org/grants.

Yvonne Hollenbeck

http://www.yvonnehollenbeck.com/ Poet, Quilter, Entertainer geetwo@gwtc.net | (605) 557-3559

Historic Quilt Program, “Patchwork of the Prairie”

Peter Grady

https://petegrady.wixsite.com/ulysses-s-grant grady.peter.j@gmail.com | (641) 691-4675

Ulysses S. Grant

Both a Chautauqua and scholar performance, this presentation lasts 70 minutes and explores the life and times of Ulysses S. Grant. He comes to life in this informative, humorous, and touching portrayal. Meet the victorious general whose strategy and tenacity won the Civil War, the President who struggled to rebuild his country after the war, and the husband and father whose final efforts were devoted to the financial support of his wife and family. Grady has years of experience as an actor and director in community theatre productions.

Hollenbeck presents a trunk show spanning 140 years of quilts from homestead days to present.

Paul Horsted

https://www.paulhorsted.com/ Photographer, Author paul@paulhorsted.com | (605) 673-3685

The Black Hills Yesterday & Today

From the 1874 Black Hills “Custer” Expedition through the gold rush to the early days of tourism, Horsted matches rare historic photographs with modern views from the same locations today. His fascinating “then and now” images reveal insights into history, development, ecology and more across the Black Hills region.

10 | Scholar Directory

South Dakota Humanities Council

Joyce Jefferson

https://www.joycejefferson.net/ Principal/Owner Joyce Jefferson Creates Stories in Song 8joyce30@hills.net | (605) 393-2680

2020 - African Americans and the Vote

Jefferson’s program addresses numerous social issues whose anniversaries occur in 2020, which marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment and the culmination of the women’s suffrage movement. The year 2020 also marks the sesquicentennial of the 15th Amendment (1870) and the right of black men to the ballot after the Civil War. The theme speaks to the ongoing struggle on the part of both black men and black women for the right to vote. This theme has a rich and long history, which begins at the turn of the 19th century.

Barbara Johnson

Humanities Scholar Prairielitdocbj@aol.com (605) 229-5988 Joy Harjo, National Poet Laureate, speaks at the South Dakota State University Performing Arts Center during an appearance sponsored by the South Dakota Humanities Council and hosted by the Brookings Arts Council. Photo by Ryan Woodard.

Adrienne Brant James

http://turtleislandlc.com/ President, Turtle Island Learning Circle abjames@vastbb.net | (605) 864-1769

Moccasin Paths: Neither 1492 nor Columbus

James educates the public on misleading information she says she learned as a child about the discovery of America. In 1987, she heard that her mother’s Mohawk people taught immigrants about democracy, which was contradictory to what she’d been taught: “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue” and discovered America, and Europeans enlightened civilization in this land. She learned that democracy already existed across the continent. Specific contributions to the eventual governing structure of the United States came in the form of the Iroquois Great Law of Peace, created in 1100 A.D. James will discuss these matters and explain how people can promote global democratic survival.

V.R. Janis

https://www.vrjanis.com/ Author, Artist, Speaker info@vrjanis.com | (605) 391-0401

Cultural Poetry

Janis presents a hands-on workshop of creating poetry with an indigenous understanding.

Light of the Prairie: South Dakota Stained Glass

Johnson examines stained glass in South Dakota and relates some of the history of the windows found throughout the state. The presentation includes information on the stained glass in the host community.

Joanna Jones

http://jonesliterature.com/ jonesdrj@gmail.com | (605) 450-0121

One Book South Dakota

Jones is available to lead discussions on the 2020 One Book SD: Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church.

Ruth Page Jones

https://rpjhistories.com/ Scholar rpjhistories@gmail.com | (262) 366-3803

A Century Celebration: Woman Suffrage in South Dakota 1868-1918

Celebrating the century birthday of woman suffrage in South Dakota in 1918, and throughout the United States in 1920, this talk reviews the key moments, key individuals, and key issues that helped women achieve their equal voting rights in the United States and, more specifically, in South Dakota one hundred years ago.

PROGRAM TIPS

Host a minimum of 15 people and provide a space with comfortable accommodations. Allow approximately 45 minutes plus Q&A.

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

Scholar Directory | 11

Bruce Junek & Tass Thacker http://imagesoftheworld.com/ Images of the World iow@hills.net | (605) 348-3432

World Bicycle Tour

This program chronicles the adventures of Junek and Thacker, who bicycled through 23 countries for 26 months. Facts about their travels: - 14,000 miles, 23 countries, 42 flat tires - United States, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, Nepal, India, Middle East, Europe - Penguins, kangaroos, orangutans, and Asian rhinoceros among 13 animal species seen - Maoris, Aborigines, and Thai hill tribes among indigenous groups encountered - 32-day hike to Mount Everest in Nepal - Experienced Hindu, Muslim and Sikh hospitality in India

Billie Kingfisher Jr

Independent Scholar abninf504@hotmail.com | (605) 670-7961

The Indian Reorganization Act

Kingfisher explores the landmark legislation, its drafting, and its impact on South Dakota tribes. While often seen by non-Native scholars as a boon to tribes, Kingfisher says the act undermined tribal sovereignty and cultural norms with the creation and imposition of tribal governments. Regardless of this, it is still the foundation of federal Native policy.

Allen & Jill Kirkham

https://allenandjill.com/ KirkhamMusic@icloud.com | (605) 440-7338

A History of Traditional American Western Music

This presentation raises awareness of American Western music and history. As the country is long past the golden era of Western movies, people under 50 may not know popular Western music icons. The Kirkhams mix oral history and live music of public domain Traditional Western Music from 1840-1907 (trail drives, Black Hills mining, and Charles Badger Clark eras); classic western movie era, 1930s to 1960s; contemporary Western and original Western music, with background and history behind the songs, as well as current music of the American West. Western music includes songs of the hills, valleys, pine trees and plains, cowboys and cowgirls, horses and cattle, pioneer families, gold miners, ghost towns, cavalry, Native Americans, outlaws, gamblers, and gunfighters. Presentations are tailored to specific events, ranging from 75 to 90 minutes long.

Musical duo Allen and Jill Kirkham raise awareness of American Western Heritage through oral history and performances as part of the SDHC Speakers Bureau.

Jeanie Kirkpatrick

jeaniekirkws@gmail.com | (515) 598-6382

Carrie Ingalls Swanzey: An Ingalls in the Black Hills

Kirkpatrick examines Carrie’s life after high school until her death in 1946. Three main stages will be examined — working woman, feminist and stepmother. Carrie’s 150th birthday is in 2020.

MaryJo Benton Lee

Adjunct Assistant Professor, SDSU mjblee@mchsi.com | (605) 692-8252 Lee examines four community studies completed in China’s Yunnan Province during the 1930s and 1940s at the height of the Sino-Japanese War. The scholars who conducted these studies were largely unknown to each other, but were strongly influenced by social anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. Forced into one small corner of China not occupied by the Japanese and working under the most challenging conditions, they produced studies that shaped outsiders’ perspectives for decades and are still regarded as exemplars by sociologists and anthropologists worldwide.

12 | Scholar Directory

South Dakota Humanities Council

Ray Maple

http://www.tomodayproductions.com/ Owner, Entertainer, Tom O’Day Productions tomodayproductions@bresnan.net | 307-527-7314

Tom O’Day (Chautauqua)

Marsha Warren Mittman presents her program Makespace Meditation 101 in Spearfish.

Coleen Liebsch

Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur PS Publishing and The Books 4 Kids Program coleenliebsch@hotmail.com | (605) 691-2007

Books 4 Kids Program

Youth Event: Pre-K through eighth grade students are visited in their classrooms, both in person and electronically, by authors from all around the world who read with students and partake when possible in a studentled discussion, with each student receiving a free book. This program uses books to bring students together as friends. With the help of generous sponsors, Books 4 Kids has given out more than 30,000 books in the past five years. Ages PK - Middle School; length 30 Minutes. Adult Event: While teachers are able to identify potential violent offenders as early as kindergarten, their hands are tied until something happens. Or are they? Learn how a 12-year old’s drawing of a puppy helped prove youth violence is preventable. Ages 18+; length 90 Minutes.

Rich Lofthus

Professor of History, Mount Marty College rlofthus23@gmail.com | (605) 661-4022

From Wentworth to the Western Front: The World War One Odyssey of Private John Warns

This program places the World War One era correspondence of the Private John Warns family from Wentworth, SD into the broader context of world and regional events surrounding World War One. It explores the manner in which World War One impacted even the most isolated and rural areas, as the propaganda of the Wilson administration sought to convince the American people that Germany was the primary enemy of the interests of the United States. This family correspondence generates a lively and realistic portrayal of life on the home front of rural South Dakota, as well as the war front in Europe.

The Old West comes alive as real outlaw Tom O’Day tells entertaining, educational, and authentic stories about his own adventures, along with tales of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch and other colorful characters of the American West. It is the 1890s and 1900s like you have never heard it before. This living history performance includes a PowerPoint presentation with old photos and maps that bring to life these vivid outlaw tales from the Big Horn Basin and Central Wyoming, as well as Tom’s involvement with South Dakota events in Belle Fourche, Deadwood and Timber Lake.

Bill Markley

https://www.billmarkley.com/ Author markley@pie.midco.net | (605) 224-5322

A Search for Truth in the Old West

Who wanted Crazy Horse killed? Were Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane lovers? Did Buffalo Bill ride for the Pony Express? Who fired first at the gunfight at the O.K. Corral? Could Custer have survived the Battle of the Little Big Horn? Were the cattle barons justified starting Wyoming’s Johnson County War? Why did the James/Younger Gang raid Minnesota’s Northfield Bank? Markley presents both sides of these and other topics he and coauthor Kellen Cutsforth researched for their book Calling Down the Thunder: A Search for Truth in the Old West, released by Globe Pequot Press in October 2018.

Michael F. McDonald

oisins_remnant@yahoo.com | (605) 664-7672

Nighthawk Tunes

The great-grandchildren of Thomas Moore’s “Irish Melodies” poems — the classic cowboy poetry of the Great Northern Plains.

Jason McEntee

https://www.sdstate.edu/directory/jason-mcentee Professor, English Department Head, SDSU jason.mcentee@sdstate.edu | (605) 697-8019

Strangers in Their Own Land

McEntee examines Iraqi Freedom movies in the context of the warrior’s homecoming. He analyzes the “coming home” narrative and studies warrior trauma, re-adjustment, and repatriation as seen in movies.

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

Kate Meadows

https://katemeadows.com/ Writer/Editor/Workshop Instructor Kate Meadows Writing & Editing kate@katemeadows.com | (605) 858-0138

Writing and Community: Using Story as Connection

This dynamic writing workshop for all ages explores the power of story and demonstrates how we can use words to create, communicate and connect. Create: How to bring an idea to life; how to make the most of your writing time. Communicate: How to tell a story effectively; why it’s important to take risks with your writing. Connect: Why a community is crucial to the writing process; how to find your “tribe.”

John E. Miller

Professor of History (Emeritus), SDSU john.miller@sdstate.edu | (605) 692-7680

Current Challenges to American Democracy and What We Can Do about Them

This program will build upon the problems discussed in Miller’s book, Democracy’s Troubles: Twelve Threats to the American Ideal and How We Can Overcome Them. Miller discusses issues such as failing civic education, free fall of journalism, declining faith in institutions and leaders, polarization in politics, deadlocks in Congress, and overreach of the president.

Scholar Directory | 13

Miss “V”

http://www.gypsycowbelle.com/ The Gypsy Cowbelle gypsycowbelle@gmail.com | (307) 231-9252

Homespun Instruments

This program is an interactive workshop which stimulates music making, creative expression and positive group dynamics through the use of a wide array of simple and homemade instruments. A brief overview of historic origins and construction of selected instruments sets the stage, after which participants “join the band,” as Miss “V” leads traditional folk, cowboy and classic country tunes. The program is excellent for students, family-oriented community events, living history demonstrations and folk festivals.

Marsha Warren Mittman

Author, Feminist, Speaker, Meditation Instructor, Global Traveler, The Next Foundation, Inc. marsha.mittman@thenextfoundation.org | (605) 644-8062

Enjoy Some Laughs!

Scurfpea Publishing has just released Mittman’s humorous memoir, You Know You Moved to South Dakota from New York City WHEN... Hear how a born and bred city gal learned to navigate the real Wild West, celebrating all the myriad cultural differences along the way.

Colin Mustful

Kris Miner

http://www.circle-space.org/ Director, Circle Space Services kris@circle-space.org | (605) 831-0119

https://www.colinmustful.com/ https://www.historythroughfiction.com/ Author, Historian, History Through Fiction mnauthor@colinmustful.com | (651) 788-0055

Restorative Justice: Building Community & Repairing Harm

Resisting Removal: The Sandy Lake Tragedy and the Years that Followed

Restorative Justice builds community and engages those most impacted in repairing harm. Effective in preventing harm from serious crime and violence, Restorative Justice is a powerful tool. This presentation provides audiences inspiring examples of how people find humanity and offer forgiveness.

VISIT US ON THE WEB Find our full list of scholars and information about all of our programs, including the South Dakota Festival of Books, at

SDHUMANITIES.ORG

Mustful catalogues the events surrounding the Lake Superior Ojibwe from 1850 to 1855; he focuses on the illegal removal efforts of Minnesota Territorial Governor Alexander Ramsey and Indian Agent John Watrous that resulted in the death of 400 Ojibwe at Sandy Lake, Minnesota, now known as the Sandy Lake Tragedy. He addresses the cultural and historical interpretations of the events and the cultural and political context of the 1850 Removal Order. He details continued removal efforts after the Sandy Lake Tragedy and the perseverance of the Lake Superior Ojibwe to resist those efforts and earn a new treaty that promised permanent reservation homes in their homeland.

14 | Scholar Directory

Laura Hovey Neubert

westriverhistoryconference.org Secretary-Treasurer, West River History Conference, Inc. lhnrcservices@gmail.com | (605) 786-3344

Freely, Mason and other W-esoterica

This presentation follows the trail of secret societies in South Dakota and their influence in the late 19th and early 20th century. Neubert discusses how, from the launch of Freemasonry here to the influence of the Theosophical Society and one of its founders, Helen Blavatsky, the inception of these groups, which did much to help early pioneers, opened paths for organization members. Profiles of the founders and how they developed in early leadership roles are highlighted.

Jean Patrick

http://www.jeanpatrick.com/ Author, Speaker, Storyteller jean@santel.net | (605) 770-7345

Women, Sports, & History

Jean uses storytelling techniques to present her awardwinning books, The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth and Long-armed Ludy and the First Women’s Olympics. In this interactive presentation, Jean shows the research and writing process, emphasizes teamwork, and introduces South Dakota athletes. The presentation is appropriate for all ages and group sizes.

Jane & John Rasmussen

https://www.sissetonmuseum.com/ Stavig House Museum janeandjohnrasmussen@gmail.com | (605) 237-6004

The Stavig Letters

The immigrant experience comes to life in this threeperson readers’ theater program created by Dr. Wayne Knutson. Content comes directly from an extensive collection of letters written over a 50-year period between two brothers, one who emigrated to Dakota Territory and one who stayed in Norway. The readers’ theater, performed more than 75 times in the United States and Scandinavia, led to an Emmy-award winning documentary and a published book. In Norway the collection of Stavig letters was accepted into UNESCO’s Memory of the World Registry.

REMINDER One program has been listed for each Speakers Bureau scholar for space reasons. See all scholar programs and a full index at

sdhumanities.org

South Dakota Humanities Council

Jim Reese

http://jimreese.org/ Writer, Editor, Prison Advocate, Mount Marty College james.reese@mountmarty.edu | (605) 668-1362

Connecting with the Criminal in Your Classroom

One of five artists-in-residence throughout the country who are part of the National Endowment for the Arts initiative with Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons, Reese established Yankton Federal Prison Camp’s first creative writing workshop and publishing course, editing a yearly journal, 4 P.M. Count, of creative writing and visual artwork by inmates. With approximately 2.2 million Americans behind bars, the U.S. accounts for five percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of its inmates. More than 600,000 inmates are released annually from federal and state prisons, and another 11.4 million people cycle through local jails.

Bruce Roseland

http://heartoftheprairie.net/ President, SD State Poetry Society bbroseland@venturecomm.net | (605) 436-6770

Poetry of Place: Connecting with the Heart of the Prairie National award-winning South Dakota poet and fourthgeneration rancher Bruce Roseland reads from his published works and shares writing tips. Participants will discuss how poems revive memories, reveal meaning and inspire creativity.

Phyllis Schrag

Independent Scholar phyllis_schrag@mediacombb.net | (515) 337-1713

Letters from the Attic

Participants will gain a perspective on the people who settled in Dakota Territory. The presentation, featuring PowerPoint, is based on 50 letters written in German script addressed to Schrag’s great-grandfather, F.J. Meier. Carefully saved, never translated, and handed down through the generations, these letters detail faith, personal experiences, and the agrarian nature of Dakotans from 1878-1889.

Christine Stewart

https://www.christinestewartnunez.com/ Professor, SDSU christine.poetscholar@gmail.com | (605) 691-3714

The Work of Creativity: Principles, Perspective, and Practice This program offers a theory of understanding creativity, applicable across art, literature, architecture, music, etc., to explore how to break through creative “blocks” and work as creatives (or support the creatives in our lives).

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

James Sullivan

Mount Marty College jsullivan@mountmarty.edu | (605) 857-1093

One Book South Dakota

Sullivan can lead discussions of 2020 One Book SD Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church.

Brad Tennant

Professor of History, Presentation College brad.tennant@presentation.edu | (605) 229-8577

South Dakota During the Progressive Era

This presentation, for high school students and the general public, places events occurring in South Dakota within the period known as the Progressive Era. Topics include the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in South Dakota, political figures such as Peter Norbeck, the impact of the Populist movement on the state and the Progressive Era, and legislation regarding the state’s economy, workers, education, tourism, and more.

Marthetta Watson

Retired Educator martywatson549@gmail.com (973) 255-9654

Oscar Micheaux: From Homesteading to Hollywood

Learn about Oscar Micheaux, an African American homesteader from Gregory County, SD, who wrote seven novels and wrote, produced and acted in 43 movies based on his experiences and influences on the prairies of South Dakota. His work teaches the challenges of the first farmers and ranchers in Gregory County and the trials and tribulations of being Black in America. The program includes a bibliography, clips of Micheaux’s movies, and a display of his original books and other artifacts.

Gary Westgard

vivigard@gmail.com | (402) 992-8197

The Stavig Letters

See description under John & Jane Rasmussen, P. 14.

Jerry Wilson

http://yote.biz/Jerry/ Independent Author/Scholar wilson57069@gmail.com | (605) 670-1893

Across the Rio Grande

Should we fear the men, women and children trudging across the Mexican desert as an “invasion” or a threat to our way of life? Or are they simply fleeing violence or poverty, seeking asylum or a way to feed their children? Are they driven by forces similar to those that prompted our own immigrant

Scholar directory | 15

ancestors to build the life we know? Wilson’s novel Eden to Orizaba encourages Americans to reconsider responses to immigrant and refugee populations in a changing world. A love story, the book addresses the human condition and conflicts in love and commitment, especially amidst cultural upheaval driven by economic forces beyond individual control. Wilson reads from the novel then discusses issues it raises and ways U.S. citizens might respond.

Norma Wilson

https://sites.google.com/a/usd.edu/norma-c-wilson English Professor Emerita, USD Norma.Wilson@usd.edu | 605-670-1956

Writing the Poetry of Place

Wilson discusses the significance of place in poetry. From childhood she learned from relatives to appreciate nature as the source of life. From America’s indigenous literature she learned to think of herself as a part of, not apart from, the environment. Wilson’s poetry celebrates the unique beauty of the prairie bluff environment on the place where she has lived for 37 years. She shows seasonal slides of its flora, fauna and waters, reads poetry from her books Rivers, Wings & Sky and Frog Creek Road and involves the audience in a discussion of writing the poetry of place.

Steven Wingate

https://stevenwingate.com/ Associate Professor of English, SDSU steven.wingate@sdstate.edu | (605) 692-5782

So, You Want to Write a Screenplay

Today’s era is one of visual media, with film and television the most popular form of storytelling. Yet screenwriting, an exacting form with very precise rules, is a mystery to most people who consume the finished product. Wingate takes advantage of his two decades of teaching screenwriting at the college level to boil down the concepts and tools needed to launch a screen project.

Lillian Witt

lillyrae49@yahoo.com | (308) 360-9336

Daddies’ Dreams

Getting hooked in the mouth by a bucking bull’s horn, finding a boiled egg with two baby chicken feet sticking out of it, and roping a deer and a badger are only a few of the hilarious but true stories told by Lillian Derflinger Witt of her adventurous father as a young cowboy, WWII veteran, and South Dakota rancher. SDHC scholars Joyce Jefferson and Geraldine Goes in Center add their stories and fond memories of their Air Force and Army veteran fathers in this discussion/poetry/slideshow program.

16 | Teachings of the One Book SD

South Dakota Humanities Council

Achieving First-Rate Intelligence: Teachings of the 2020 One Book SD

hroughout the history of the One Book program, the South Dakota Humanities Council has selected books that propel our mission, helping us create a more well-read and, by extension, more engaged and thoughtful state of South Dakota. The 2020 One Book South Dakota accomplishes those things — and more. Not only was it written by a South Dakotan, but Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church may also be the first One Book in the program’s 18-year history to offer life lessons, learned firsthand by the author, Megan Phelps-Roper of Clark, SD, related to every facet of our mission statement: The South Dakota Humanities Council celebrates literature, promotes civil conversation, and tells the stories that define our state. Phelps-Roper celebrates literature, citing classic novels that paved her path to enlightenment, and the portion of the memoir that unfolds in South Dakota briefly but firmly defines our state which, for the author, offers a rural haven: natural beauty, refuge, anonymity and “Midwest nice” for someone who desperately needs it. However, because the author is a former ideological extremist, and because she articulates her evolving ideology in real time while edifying theology and reiligous philiosphy, her most profound advice is on civility — how it can be achieved by civil conversation. Discourse in 2020 is not often civil. Discussions of public policy, race, religion and politics tend to devolve into vitriol and insults, as people gravitate toward extreme positions and refuse to consider middle ground. Oft-suggested as the solution for these prevalent social issues, civility may indeed unite our fractured society. The problem is that civility is a learned skill, not just a notion that can be grasped quickly enough to satisfy the short-attention spans of our fastpaced digital age. Deeply rooted in the humanities discipline, civility is form of humanities-driven intelligence acquired gradually by reading, understanding and embracing other perspectives in literature and life. Taking the idea a step further, the legendary F. Scott Fitzgerald said to live in consideration of others was to live intellectually. “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function,” he said in his essay “The Crack Up,” a soliloquy of lessons learned at age 39. Having captured in fewer than 50,000 words the essence of American culture with The Great Gatsby, considered by many as The Great American Novel, Fitzgerald was an expert on human behavior and, by extension, the humanities. Fitzgerald’s logic dictates that single-minded people who dismiss other opinions have not achieved “first-rate intelligence.” His quote, a vivid distillation of a complex idea, unfolds as a teachable moment, in textbook fashion (no pun intended), in Unfollow. How? When the book starts, Phelps-Roper is a young member of the dogmatic Westboro Baptist Church who would have scoffed at Fitzgerald’s quote and, had there actually been such a test, failed miserably. Her extremist family forces its viewpoints; she spends her formative years shouting down bereaved families and people with different opinions.

As a protestor, Phelps-Roper demonstrates with a large picket sign and a single idea in her head: her family IS right. Throughout the book she undergoes the kind of character arc that novelists dream of. PhelpsRoper hints at her life transformation on the very first page of her memoir with an epigraph suggesting the wisdom of inclusivity from – guess who? “Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald What changed her mind? We hope you read the book and find out. What we can tell you: the author endured a heartbreaking series of events that gave her perspective beyond her years, leading her, before age 30, to the same conclusion that an emotionally-battered Fitzgerald (the essay was called “The Crack Up” for a reason) wrote about at 39. “Doubt causes us to hold a strong position a bit more loosely, such that an acknowledgement of ignorance or error doesn’t crush our sense of self or leave us totally unmoored if our position proves untenable,” she writes. “Certainty is the opposite: It hampers inquiry and hinders growth.” Enlightened by her experiences and by classics from Fitzgerald, Hemingway and others, she has found a new home in South Dakota, and a new career: author and activist. She has learned that her perspective is one of many — that she is not always right. Nobody is. She changed. Civil conversations can be had in our country if others are also willing to change, to learn humanities-driven critical thinking skills and apply them to their interpersonal relationships and interactions. Reading expands your perspective, intelligence, empathy. You need these skills to hold a civil conversation, which requires your acceptance of two opposing ideas: you are correct, and so is the other person. Therefore, the more you read, the more perspective you gain, the more likely you are to achieve “first-rate intelligence,” so to speak. We selected Phelps-Roper, in part, because she can encourage such conversations and further our mission. She has lived through a monumental change, and by reading her book, you will encounter the lessons that changed her. These lessons are important. Because we live in a “civilization,” might it be possible that civility — the ability to relate to others on a personal level, to give context to events and conversations and, therefore, to harness the intelligence of being human — is the most important skill of all?

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

FY ‘19 Annual Report: Program Stats, DA Awards | 17

Major Grants - 30 Total Dollars - $79,906 Communities Served - 18 Attendees - 8,833 Community Programs* - 177 Total Dollars - $51,429 Communities Served - 66 Attendees - 14,702 *Book Club to Go, Speakers Bureau, and One Book programs

SD Humanities FY ‘19 Annual Report: Telling Stories Throughout the State Distinguished Achievements Honored at Festival of Books

inners of the Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities are selected based on their outstanding commitment to scholarly and cultural advocacy around South Dakota by presenting humanities-related events and programs, writing books and publications important to the humanities and providing funding or partnerships to sustain a vibrant cultural landscape. The following winners were honored at the 2019 Festival of Books:

Julie Moore Peterson, director of the Sturgis Public Library since 2004, has served on the board of directors for the SDHC and the Sturgis Area Arts Council and continues to work closely with both to promote and provide literary and arts-related programs in the community. Under her guidance the library has hosted, co-hosted or sponsored numerous SDHC programs and speakers, including two Smithsonian Institution/ Museum on Main Street Exhibits, Chautauqua events, author Tim O’Brien (part of a three-month community Big Read Grant in 2017), “Longmire” author

Craig Johnson and U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. The library has also hosted One Book authors, Speakers Bureau events and regional author programs. She also volunteers for the Festival of Books.

2019 Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities award winners, from left: South Dakota Historical Society Press (represented by Nancy Tystad Koupal), Scott Rausch, Julie Moore Peterson.

Scott Rausch, a retired faculty member and department head at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, served on the SDHC Board of Directors for 10 years and has been actively involved with the South Dakota Festival of Books, playing a crucial role with venue setup and technical assistance. He has also served on other non-profit boards, including the Rapid City Arts Council, the Piedmont Park Board and the School of Mines Alumni Association. Rausch is a lifelong advocate of books and reading and maintains a large personal library focusing on science, mathematics, history, philosophy and religion. South Dakota Historical Society Press has partnered with SDHC on numerous projects. In addition to printing the 2019 Young Readers One Book, the press also published the 2012 One Book South Dakota Dammed Indians Revisited and has been a constant presence at the Festival of Books, where the organization displays its extensive library of works published about South Dakota and by South Dakota authors.

18 | FY ‘19 Annual Report: Fundraising Goals, One Book

South Dakota Humanities Council

SDHC Meets $5K Giving Tuesday Goal, Reveals 2020 One Book

he SDHC met its fundraising goal for the South Dakota Day of Giving, gathering more than $5,000 in donations from the Dec. 3 event. For the second consecutive year, SDHC participated in the statewide movement, created by the organization South Dakota Gives, that provides non-profits a chance to highlight their work as donors across the state celebrate generosity by donating to their favorite organizations.

the Westboro Baptist Church by Megan Phelps-Roper and, for young readers, a three-book bind-in featuring the Bink and Gollie characters created by co-authors Alison McGhee and Kate DiCamillo. Phelps-Roper, of Clark, visited the office to sign books and chat with readers after the reveal. Unfollow is available for book clubs statewide for just a $50 application fee.

Hundreds of non-profits in South Dakota participated, and a group of local nonprofits joined together as #BrookingsGives to encourage donations for Brookings County non-profits, including SDHC. Through donations received online, by mail or in person from visitors who attended SDHC’s event, a total of $5,050 was raised for humanities programming in South Dakota. SDHC received donations from 47 unique donors, including 13 first-time donors. “Thank you to all of the donors who contributed to making the South Dakota Day of Giving such a special day for our organization,” said SDHC executive director Ann Volin. SDHC hosted visitors throughout the day to celebrate; an added draw was the unveiling of SDHC’s 2020 common read selections: Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving

The donation box and thermometer measuring donations made during the 2019 South Dakota Humanities Council Day of Giving.

One Book Author Reaches Masses

Author Kent Nerburn has a massive following, and the 2019 One Book South Dakota author of Neither Wolf nor Dog reached droves of his readers — both online and in person — during his year-long term. Fans traveled far to see Nerburn; one couple drove nearly 600 miles from Chicago to Sioux Falls to meet him during a tour event at the Full Circle Book Co-op. Not only did Nerburn visit numerous communities, but he also posted regular updates on his Facebook page about his experiences in South Dakota, immersing himself in the state's

landscape and its people — readers who enjoyed Neither Wolf nor Dog and wanted to discuss issues of race and reconciliation explored within its pages. His tour spanned 14 days through towns both east and west of the Missouri River and featured 15 public discussions. Nerburn's final stop was the 2019 Festival of Books in Deadwood, where he gave a keynote lecture and signed books for fans. Visit the URL below to read his One Book Tour blog consisting of updates from his Facebook page.

sdhumanities.org/nerburn

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

FY ‘19 Annual Report: Veterans, A Young Readers First | 19

Vets Story Contest Celebrates Veterans

he 2019 Veterans Story Contest was created by the South Dakota Humanities Council and South Dakota State University Veterans Affairs to encourage past and current service members in South Dakota to share their stories and process their war experiences. Winners were announced during the 2019 Festival of Books by acclaimed writer and U.S. Army veteran Brian Turner. Veterans who entered received a free ticket to Turner's Festival writing workshop. U.S. Army veteran Stephan Randall of Sioux Falls won first place for his essay “Mountain Climber,” while U.S. Marine Corps veteran Alex Sebbey's "I'm Scared Too" won the video portion. Sebbey was a resident of Sioux Falls at the time of the contest and has since moved to Triangle, Va. Both received $500 for their first-place efforts.

U.S. Air Force veteran Michael Welsh of Yankton received second place for his essay “Last Sortie of the Day,” while third place essay went to U.S. Navy veteran Douglas Perret Starr of Sioux Falls for “Freeing Prisoners of War.” Second place winner in the video category was Shai Mason, currently serving in the U.S. Air Force and based at Ellsworth, for “Veterans' Story Video.” "There are many benefits for veterans to share their story through creative writing or any other humanities driven experience that can encourage healing, release or support others," said Connie Johnson, coordinator for Veterans Affairs at SDSU. Johnson is also the lone female Purple Heart recipient in North and South Dakota.

U.S. Army veteran Stephan Randall of Sioux Falls speaks at the VFW during a ceremony for the Veterans Story Contest at the 2019 South Dakota Festival of Books. He was declared the winner of the writing category for his essay “Mountain Climber.” Throughout its history the SDHC has offered programs with resources for military veterans who want to write about their experiences.

2019 Young Readers One Book Becomes First Lakota Language Selection, Features the Official Indigenous Language of SD During the same year Tatanka and Other Legends of the Lakota People became the first book in the history of the Young Readers program to be made available in both Lakota and English, a bill passed by the South Dakota Legislature made Lakota, Dakota and Nakota the state's official indigenous language. The juxtaposition of the two events in 2019 was fortuitous, as it strengthened the heritage of Native American culture and language in South Dakota. South Dakota is now the third state to adopt an official indigenous language, joining Hawaii and Alaska.

2019 Young Readers Author Don Montileaux discusses Tatanka and Other Legends of the Lakota People during the Festival of Books.

Tatanka, a bind-in of three books authored and illustrated by Oglala Sioux Tribe member and Rapid City resident Donald F. Montileaux, was published by the South Dakota Historical Society Press and distributed to second grade students last spring. Montileaux and his translator, Agnes Gay, recorded an audio version of the book at Rapid City's Flat Iron Recording Studio in early April. Montileaux read the book in English; Gay read it in Lakota. Montileaux was a keynote speaker at the 2020 Young Readers Festival of Books.

20 | FY ‘19 Annual Report: Festival Recap

rom gourmet meals to Wild West shootouts to moving discussions about books, life, and everything in between, readers and writers were treated to an assortment of events during the 17th annual Festival of Books October 4-6, 2019 in Deadwood.

Weekend in the Wild West

South Dakota Humanities Council

- Authors from all genres and cultures, including up-and-coming author Nick Estes (below, left) and renowned writer Elizabeth Cook-Lynn (to his right); illustrator Rebecca Swift (second from right) and Sean Covel, a movie producer turned children’s author.

2020 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

- A relaxing Sunday conclusion of the Festival with the Closing Luncheon featuring a special gourmet meal by Sean Sherman of The Sioux Chef. The Pine Ridge native, who spent the majority of his teenage years in nearby Spearfish, prepared traditional indigenous cuisine using natural, locally-sourced ingredients.

- A packed house for Craig Johnson, Deadwood favorite and author of the popular Longmire novels that became a television series on A&E and Netflix. A young fan even brought Johnson a picture he’d drawn of Longmire “land,” and Johnson signed it.

- A Wild West Shootout outside the Deadwood Mountain Grand between mystery authors Sandra Brannan and Heather Graham. The event, which featured good-natured ribbing between the two Festival presenters (with procedural help from the local Deadwood Alive troupe), culminated with the “death” of Brannan, and fun for all! Thank you to everyone who attended the 2019 Festival. We will see you at the 2020 Festival of Books in Brookings!

Nearly 8,000 session attendees were on hand for 122 Festival sessions; the Deadwood Mountain Grand Event Center was packed for presentations by authors Megan Phelps-Roper, Kent Nerburn, Craig Johnson and others, while patrons gathered en masse at other venues in town. - A moment of connection between SDPB’s Lori Walsh and Phelps-Roper as they empathized with each other while discussing Phelps-Roper’s past and its effect on Walsh (PhelpsRoper used to protest military funerals; Walsh is a military veteran).

Attendees - 8,000 Authors - 65 Sessions - 122

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

FY ‘19 Annual Report: Reading Memories, Festival Award | 21

Remembering Our First Reading Experiences

year-long campaign of remembering first reading experiences culminated with the distribution at the Festival of "I Learned to Read at..." stories of lifelong readers' first literary steps. "I Learned to Read at..." encouraged people to share stories of when and where they learned to read, along with donations to help SDHC promote literacy in South Dakota. The stories were assembled for a special publication made available at SDHC's Festival booth. Sample quotes: "I learned to read at Brookings County District #42 and became a lover of literature in my country school library." "As a boy growing up poor in Mitchell, there was little to do particularly in the summer months as our family could not afford summer camps or summer sports. Except that our town had a beautiful Carnegie Library, where a boy could enter free of charge and read whatever took him away from unpleasantries of life. I read all the Gentlemen Jim Corbett adventure tales of African and Indian hunts, and anything Jack London wrote." To request a copy of the publication, please email info@sdhumanities.org or call 605-688-6113. Literature is needed now more than ever, as the Pew Research Center revealed that in our technology-dominated society, 25 percent of American adults did not read a single book in 2018. To help us raise awareness for literacy and money for our programs that encourage reading, please donate at sdhumanities.org/give.

At right, South Dakota Humanities Council executive director Ann Barnett Volin on the first day of first grade with brothers Greg (left) and Mark (right). Her school lunchbox, pictured above, was featured in the “I Learned to Read At...” program that shared stories about the first literary steps of many adult readers and writers.

Festival of Books Receives Honors College Award for Community Partnership

t its annual Honors Convocation March 28, the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College at South Dakota State University presented its Outstanding Community Partner Award to the Festival of Books in recognition of the opportunities it has offered to SDSU Honors students.

The Festival has helped SDSU students meet acclaimed authors like international bestseller Alice Sebold, whose debut novel, The Lovely Bones, created a literary sensation upon its release and was later made into a major motion picture by director Peter Jackson with a star-studded cast. Sebold spoke to students and members of the public during Festival events on the SDSU campus in 2018. Jennifer Widman, director of the South Dakota Center for the Book and the Festival of Books, accepted the award on behalf of the SDHC. Alice Sebold speaks at the 2018 Festival of Books in an appearance made possible by SDHC’s partnership with SDSU and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

"We've been so fortunate to collaborate with the SDSU Honors College to provide opportunities for students to hear directly from Pulitzer Prize-winning historians and journalists, best-selling novelists and poets, and many more," she said.

22 | FY ‘19 Annual Report: Donors

South Dakota Humanities Council

Fiscal Year 2019 Donors

The following individuals and organizations — listed by donation totals — gave to the South Dakota Humanities Council during our Fiscal Year 2019 (Nov. 1, 2018 - Oct. 31, 2019). Thank you to the many generous donors who make possible South Dakota Humanities Council programs and events, including our largest event, the South Dakota Festival of Books.

$20,000 and Above

$10,000 and Above

$5,000 and Above

Your Gift is Crucial!

Donations allow us to continue to provide quality humanities programming to South Dakotans.

al Presenting Partner

Mail your donation to: South Dakota Humanities Council 1215 Trail Ridge Road Suite A Brookings, SD 57006 * Endowment

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

FY â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;19 Annual Report: Donors | 23

$1,000 and Above Black Hills Energy Books-A-Million Tom & Sherry DeBoer Mildred K. Hugghins Dan & Arlene Kirby Steve and Katherine Sanford Jerry & Gail Simmons

Ann M. Smith South Dakota Magazine Harriet Svec U.S. Bank, National Association Richard & Michelle Van Demark Margaret Cash Wegner

$500 and Above Sherry Danielsen Joyce Jefferson Joe & Jennifer Kirby Jay Perry Linda & Scott Rausch Vonnie Shields

Craig & Della Tschetter Vern & Cathy Voelzke William Walsh Christine Wevik

24 | FY â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;19 Annual Report: Donors

South Dakota Humanities Council

Thank you to our donors who help make our programs possible. To donate and/or view donors who gave during the beginning of our 2020 fiscal year (Nov. 1, 2019 through Oct. 31, 2020) please visit:

sdhumanities.org/give The SDHC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, funded through a combination of grants from private and public sources and large and small gifts from individual donors. Donations are tax-exempt.

WWW.SDHUMANITIES.ORG | (605) 688-6113

FY ‘19 Annual Report: Board of Directors | 25

Board of Directors Volunteer Members Help Guide Programming

he South Dakota Humanities Council maintains a board of South Dakotans who set policy, provide guidance and determine programming goals and missions. The board is comprised of volunteers with diverse backgrounds who work in education, finance, business and more; all of them share an interest in the humanities in South Dakota and beyond.

Board chair Whitney Rencountre, right, shakes hands with former board member and 2019 Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities award winner Scott Rausch at the 2019 Festival of Books in Deadwood.

In addition to meeting three times a year at locations throughout the state to help guide SDHC policy and programming, board members often volunteer their time to help at events like the South Dakota Festival of Books — escorting authors, moderating panels and more. If you are interested in joining the board, please email info@sdhumanities.org. The roster is curently full, but each seat has a limited term.

2019-20 South Dakota Humanities Council Board Roster

*Eric Abrahamson, Principal Historian, Vantage Point Historical Services Inc., Rapid City

Kathy Antonen, Retired English Professor, SDSMT, Lake Norden

*Bobbie Bohlen, Executive Director, Grant County Development Corp., Milbank

Cathy Clark, Retired Banker, Sioux Falls

Tawa Ducheneaux, Archivist, Oglala Lakota College, Kyle

*Darlene Farabee, Associate Professor/Chair, Dept of English at USD, Vermillion

Jerome Freeman, Neurologist, Professor at USD, Brandon

Karen Hall, Author, Environmental Engineer, Rapid City

*Katie Hunhoff, Publisher, South Dakota Magazine, Yankton

Kelly Kirk, Instructor, Director of Honors Program, BHSU, Spearfish

Heidi Kruse, Secretary, Elementary Librarian & Media Specialist, Sturgis

Jay Perry, Chair Elect, Asst Vice President for Academic Affairs, S.D. Board of Regents, Pierre

Frank Pommersheim, Emeritus Professor, USD, Vermillion

Whitney Rencountre, Chair, Program Coordinator, Rapid City

Vonnie Shields, Past Chair, Community Volunteer, Sioux Falls

Tamara St. John, Tribal Archivist, Sisseton

Kristi Tornquist, Treasurer, Chief University Librarian & Professor, SDSU, Brookings

Jerry Wilson, Retired Teacher, Writer, USD, Vermillion

*Four members of the Council board are appointed by the Governor.

SD Stories: Our Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heritage Order today! Call (605) 688-6113 or visit: sdhumanities.org/SD-stories

Connect with us. Facebook.com/sdhumanities @sdhumanities (Twitter) @sdbookfestival (Instagram) sdhumanities.org (605) 688-6113 South Dakota Festival of Books Oct. 2-4, 2020 Brookings

60+ presenters Writing workshops Panel discussions Book signings Poetry readings Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities

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