The Dave Martin Papers document the organization, execution, and impact of the 1977 goodwill basketball trip to Cuba, arranged through the efforts of SDSU Sports Information Director David Martin in collaboration with Senators George McGovern and James Abourezk. The collection spans 1975 to 1977 and contains correspondence, proposals, rosters, press lists, programs, newspaper clippings, and post-trip reports that highlight the extensive planning and political considerations involved.

Photographs and slides provide visual documentation of the South Dakota State University and University of South Dakota basketball players in competition with the Cuban National Basketball Team, as well as images of cultural exchanges, ceremonies, and tours of Havana and other sites. The collection also includes depictions of American and Cuban players dining together, meetings with Cuban dignitaries such as Fidel and Raúl Castro, and the participation of Senators McGovern and Abourezk.

This collection documents a unique Cold War–era sports diplomacy initiative that used basketball as a vehicle for cultural exchange during a period of strained U.S.-Cuba relations. It illustrates the role of South Dakota institutions and leaders in international outreach and highlights the intersection of athletics, politics, and diplomacy. The photographs and correspondence provide rare firsthand evidence of citizen and cultural diplomacy efforts during the 1970s, showcasing the symbolic importance of athletic competition in fostering dialogue across political divides.

This collection documents the 1977 South Dakota Delegation trip to Cuba, which included members of the South Dakota State University basketball team. The material primarily captures the media coverage and public reception surrounding the trip. It includes national, state, and unidentified newspaper clippings; press releases; and excerpts from radio broadcasts, many of which report on the delegation’s activities and the political context of the visit. Also included are photographs, rosters of participants, and an audio tape outline titled Cuban Stories, which appears to provide a narrative or interview content related to the trip.

The collection contains correspondence that sheds light on the earliest stages of planning, including references to Fidel Castro and U.S. Senator George McGovern, whose 1975 trip to Cuba helped catalyze this exchange. Though much of the formal planning documentation is missing, the surviving memoranda and letters illustrate efforts to coordinate the trip under challenging diplomatic conditions. Additional items include material from the Cuban newspaper Granma and various internal and external communications concerning the delegation.

The collection is a resource documenting a rare Cold War-era cultural exchange between a U.S. university delegation and Cuba. It offers insight into the role of sports diplomacy, the influence of political figures such as George McGovern, and the broader media and public perception of such initiatives during the late 1970s.