This collection is composed of memorabilia, scrapbooks, campaign items, and personal items related to Reifel's career as a public servant, especially his years in the United States Senate and his work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The bulk of congressional material is memorabilia and scrapbooks and not records related to his term of office. Other materials are related chiefly to his post-congressional speaking career.
Earth Day Development Foundation Meeting in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Speakers talk about ecology, the environment, and the EROS Data Center. South Dakota Governor Frank Farrar, Congressman Ben Reifel, and other dignitaries are speaking. [DVD]
Correspondence, minutes, and other documents related to Share South Dakota, an organization to better conditions among Indian Americans in South Dakota. Ben Reifel served as vice president to this organization.
Correspondence and other documents related to prayer breakfast meetings, a forum for notible political, social, and business figures to meet and build relationships.
Comments by John J. Barcroft, Director, Division of Public Programs, National Endowment for the Humanities, at the presentation of the Distinguished Award in the Humanities to Congressman Ben Reifel. Also included is correspondence and pamphlets.
Correspondence, publications, and other documents related to Ben Reifel's dealings with the South Dakota Memorial Art Center, including his American Indian art collection and his service on their board of directors.
Booklets about laws relating to federal corrupt practices and political activities, as well as a letter to republican nominees like Ben Reifel from the National Republican Congressional Committee in regards to filing reports of campaign receipts and expenditures.
Notes, manuscripts from interviews, and speeches on Ben Reifel's stance on issues such as 'Operation Safeguard', social security, and parity of income for farmers.
Various articles about topics collected by Ben Reifel such as suicide, education, reservations and administration among American Indians. Also includes articles about Ben Reifel during the senate race.
Newspaper clippings of Ben Reifel and his various activities and work, as well as clippings of other notable people and events that were happening during his time.
Hearings before the United States Senate Committee on Rules prescribing penalties for certain acts of violence or intimidation and interior nominations. They contain statements from Ben Reifel.
Group study conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in a history course, 'Problems in Historical Interpretation' at Southern State College in Springfield, South Dakota.
Paper presented by Harry G. Clement, president, Clement-Smith, Inc., at the First Indian Tourism Seminar at the Center for Continuing Education in Lincoln, Nebraska titled 'How to Go Broke in the Tourist Business (Particularly on an Indian Reservation)'.
Articles on Ben Reifel being awarded the Humor Award from the Workshop Library of World Humor. Also includes various articles, pamphlets, speeches, and cartoons about humor.
Bureau of Indian Afffairs and Farm Home Administration pamphlets pertaining to American Indian culture, census information, and farm loans. Other miscellaneous pamphlets are also included.
Reports on The Community Mental Health Program in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, schedule for Secretary of the Interior's conference in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and Secretary Stewart L. Udall's remarks, and the final report for the Department of Mental Health titled, 'Cross-Cultural Study of Cognitive Development on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation by Gilbert Voyat and Setphen Silk.
Correspondence between Ben Reifel, members of the Association on American Indian Affairs, and the secretary of Harvard University in regards to his acceptance at the university, and his temporary leave from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Correspondence in regards to Ben Reifel and an article he wrote for the Christian Science Monitor while he was at Harvard. Also includes correspondence between Reifel and the Department of the Interior in regards to his studies of relocation for Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations.
Correspondence congratulating Ben Reifel on the thesis he wrote during his education at Harvard University. Also includes correspondence in regards to his being named the Superintendent of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota.
Letter from Ben Reifel to Everett E. Hagen, Professor of Economics, expressing his gratitude for hospitality during his stay in Aberdeen and at the reservations.
Correspondence between Ben Reifel and the Department Head of Dairy Husbandry at South Dakota State University in regards to Ben asking for work in the laboratory there.
Americans for Constitutional Action Distinguished Service award was presented to Ben Reifel in 1968. The award is a wood plaque with a cream colored background and yellow and black lettering. Word on the plaque read 'American for Constitutional Action the Board of Trustees has conferred upon Ben Reifel the distinguished service award for a notable voting record in the Congress of the United States (during a period from 1961 to 1968) in support of those legislative measures which would serve to sustain, strengthen, and defend the spirit and principles of the Constitution of the United States as these were defined by the Founding Fathers of our Republic. Fifth Biennial Awards given at Washington, District of Columbia, on the seventeenth day of November in the year Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-Nine.' It is signed by the chairman of the Board of Trustees, the president, and the recording secretary.
Correspondence between Ben Reifel's campaign manager and those in charge of certain events and schools, arranging for Ben to speak. Also includes itineraries of events that Ben attends.
Letters of congratulations to Ben Reifel for being awarded the Distinguished Service Award of the Department of the Interior, as well as for being elected to Congress.
Letters of congratulations to Ben Reifel on his victory in the election, as well as letters of thanks written on behalf of Ben Reifel to those who supported him.
Letters of thanks written to Ben Reifel by other members of Congress in regards to him sending them copies of the Indian Prayers he shared at the Prayer Group. Also includes letters asking Ben Reifel if he would contribute any items to the Historic Costume and Textile Collection at South Dakota State College.
Correspondence in regards to the items Ben Reifel loaned to the Department of Textiles and Clothing at South Dakota State University, as well as memorial cards, and information pertaining to prints and films that were borrowed for certain events.
Correspondence pertaining to Ben Reifel's re-election victory, as well as lists of sessions to attend at the Third Annual Conference on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, which Ben Reifel was a speaker.
Birthday cards and letters for Ben Reifel, as well as correspondence pertaining to giving his files and records to South Dakota. Also includes correspondence pertaining to Ben Reifels campaign for the following year.
Correspondence in regards to the buckskin vest Ben Reifel loaned to the Department of Textiles and Clothing at South Dakota State University, as well as speeches and statements from Ben Reifel pertaining to the problems facing Indian people.
Correspondence in regards to Ben Reifel being asked to become part of the faculty at Northern State University, University of South Dakota, and South Dakota State University. Also includes items such as birthday cards and letters and minutes from the Bishop Hare Home Board Meeting.
Correspondence pertaining to Ben Reifel's invitation to work at the American Indian Law Center, financial reports, and inquiries about vouchers and checks.
Correspondence between Ben Reifel and the Rock County Star Herald, as well as a citation for Ben Reifel's Honorary Doctrate Degree in Humanities from South Dakota State University.
Correspondence to Ben Reifel regarding his sending checks of support to his friends for their campaigns, as well as a copy of Mike Ford's prayer from the House Prayer Breakfast.
Correspondence in regards to The Grand Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokees and their Constitution, as well as letters of congratulations to Ben Reifel for being the recipient of the First Distinguished Award in the Humanities.
Correspondence to Ben Reifel pertaining to geneology, college scholarships, as well as invitations to speak at different colleges and the Upward Bound banquet at University of South Dakota.
Correspondence to Ben Reifel about subjects such as tabloid articles, the Institute of the American West, the Indian Reorganization Act, and the Diocese of South Dakota.
Progress reports from Ben Reifel during his time in Congress that talk about what he had been doing and what bills he had passed, and also includes a thank you letter from the Lower Brule Farm Corporation.
Correspondence between Gerald R. Ford and Ben Reifel pertaining to Gerald expressing his appreciation for Ben's hardwork and his help in passing the President's tax package. Also includes a birthday letter to Ben from Gerald.