Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1957-2012 (Creation)
Extent
15.0 linear feet (15 records boxes)
Name of creator
Biographical history
David Allan Evans was born in 1940 in Sioux City, Iowa, and began his undergraduate studies on a football scholarship at Morningside College in his hometown. During college, he discovered a passion for writing and began producing poetry and short stories. He went on to earn additional degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Arkansas, where he completed his MFA in Creative Writing.
Evans moved to Brookings, South Dakota in 1968, where he became Professor of English and Writer-in-Residence at South Dakota State University. A prolific author, he has published five volumes of poetry and contributed to or edited seven other books.
In 1974, Evans became the first South Dakotan to receive a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) fellowship in creative writing. He has also received writing grants from the Bush Artist Foundation in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the South Dakota Arts Council. His poetry, fiction, and essays have appeared in numerous literary magazines and journals, as well as more than 60 anthologies, including Best Poems of 1969 (The Borestone Awards), Heartland II: Poets of the Midwest, The Norton Book of Sports, The Sporting Life, Imaging Home, Poetspeak, Motion: American Sports Poems, and Fathers.
His poetry—particularly his sports-themed writing—has been widely reprinted in anthologies and K–12 educational textbooks. Evans has served as a Fulbright Scholar to China twice, with appointments in Nanjing and Guangzhou. Over the span of more than 25 years, he has held writing residencies with the South Dakota, Iowa, and Wyoming Arts Councils.
Evans is featured in several major biographical directories, including Contemporary Authors, International Authors and Writers Who’s Who, and Who’s Who in America.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The David Allan Evans Papers document the professional activities, literary output, and public recognition of David Allan Evans, South Dakota’s first Poet Laureate and a prominent writer-educator at South Dakota State University. The collection spans the late 20th and early 21st centuries and reflects Evans’s influential role in shaping the state’s literary culture and advancing public appreciation of poetry and creative writing.
Included are materials related to lectures, workshops, conferences, literary festivals, and Writers-in-the-Schools programs, as well as his service as Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2015. Newspaper clippings and press coverage highlight Evans’s public appearances, readings, residencies, publications, and achievements. These are arranged chronologically by year, with article titles noted in the folder descriptions.
The collection contains reviews and critical responses to Evans’s poetry and prose, published in newspapers, literary magazines, and peer-reviewed journals. Books authored or co-authored by Evans are also present, accompanied by published copies, promotional materials, and related correspondence. His literary works appear in numerous anthologies, textbooks, and periodicals, with folder descriptions noting title and page references.
A significant portion of the papers focuses on Evans’s Fulbright Scholar appointments and literary teaching trips to China. These include correspondence, diaries, research notes, and writings developed during or inspired by his time abroad, illustrating his role as a cultural ambassador and his engagement in international literary exchange.
Additional materials reflect Evans’s broader intellectual interests and include collected items such as poetry books, journals, business cards, and documents related to Sioux City, Iowa, South Dakota State University, and the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. Personal and professional correspondence includes acceptance letters, fan mail, letters from colleagues and friends, and letters of recommendation. Biographical files document Evans’s college years, honors and awards, alumni reunions, and the establishment of a creative writing scholarship in his name at SDSU.
The collection also includes manuscripts of poems, essays, short stories, and other writings by Evans, many annotated and in multiple versions. These materials reveal a distinct poetic voice rooted in themes of athleticism, rural life, and Midwestern identity. His correspondence and teaching files demonstrate his contributions as a mentor to emerging writers and an advocate for literary arts in both academic and public settings.
Together, the David Allan Evans Papers offer valuable insight into regional literature, poetic form and voice, creative writing pedagogy, and the evolving role of the poet in public life. The collection serves as a rich resource for researchers studying American literature, Midwestern cultural history, and literary engagement across local and international communities.
System of arrangement
This collection is arranged into series:
- Activities
- Articles About Evans
- Book Reviews By Evans
- China trip
- Collected Material
- Correspondence
- General files
- Periodicals: Essays, Articles, and Short Stories
- Periodicals: Poetry
- Published books
- Reviews of Evans
- Works in anthologies, textbooks, and other publications
- Writings
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
Information request form: Ask Us!
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use. .sdstate.edu/sdsu-archives-and-special-collections/researcher-registration-form)
The collection is open for research, but please note that the materials in the Archives do not circulate and can only be used In the SDSU Archives and Special Collections Reading Room.
Please contact us in advance so we can prepare for your visit.
If you cannot visit the Archives in person, please reach out to us. We will do our best to help you find the information you need.
In most cases, the materials in this collection have not been digitized and are not available online.
South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections supports access to the materials in its collections. However, access to some items may be restricted due to their fragile condition, donor agreements, or other considerations.
If you would like to know more about the contents of the collection, please contact the SDSU Archives at: Telephone: 605-688-5094 Email: arcrefs@sdstate.edu
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction of materials from the collection is subject to the following conditions:
- Permission: Written permission must be obtained from the SDSU Archives for any reproduction, publication, or quotation of materials.
- Copyright: Users are responsible for complying with copyright laws and securing any necessary permissions from copyright holders.
- Fragile Materials: Some items may not be reproduced due to their fragile condition.
- Charges: Reproduction charges may apply, and users will be informed of any costs in advance.
-
Acknowledgment: Any reproduced material must include proper acknowledgment of the South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections as the source.
For more information or to request permission, please contact the SDSU Archives.
Languages of the material
English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
Copyright and Use Statement
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Evans, David Allan (Subject)