The collection is composed of materials accumulated by Dr. Charles Woodard during his career at South Dakota State University. The papers document his teaching and program development in the English Department, including course materials, syllabi, examinations, lecture notes, committee files, and administrative records for related initiatives. A substantial portion of the collection relates to American Indian studies and education, including files on American Indian cultural tutorials, conferences, advisory and council work, and program review and revision activities. Records also document public humanities and outreach work through organizations and programs such as the South Dakota Humanities Council, reading and lecture series, community discussion initiatives, and related grant activity.
Topical files reflect Woodard’s engagement with regional literature and culture in South Dakota and the Great Plains, including planning and correspondence for conferences and events such as Consider the Century, the Great Plains Writers’ Conference, and Oak Lake writers’ programming. Additional subject areas include reconciliation and peace and conflict programs, veterans and war related topics, cultural representation issues including sports team mascot and nickname controversies, and environmental and civic concerns represented through correspondence, clippings, newsletters, and organizational materials. Materials related to publications include manuscripts, clippings, and correspondence with co-authors and publishers. The collection also contains files on individuals and organizations with whom Woodard worked, and audiocassettes documenting conference sessions, readings, lectures, and presentations, including creative writing instruction and Native American themed programming.
This collection documents humanities teaching and outreach, with particular documentation of American Indian studies programming, regional literary culture, and public humanities initiatives in South Dakota and the northern Great Plains. The papers support research on the development of humanities conferences and community programs affiliated with SDSU and statewide partners, including the planning, funding, and implementation of programs such as Consider the Century, the Great Plains Writers’ Conference, and Oak Lake writers’ activities. The collection also documents late twentieth and early twenty-first century public conversations in South Dakota relating to reconciliation, cultural representation, environmental and civic issues, and debates over sports team mascots and nicknames, as reflected in Woodard’s program files, correspondence, and collected documentation.
