This collection consists of oral history interviews conducted as part of the South Dakota State University Department of History’s Bicentennial Oral History Project. The interviews were carried out primarily by students and document personal narratives related to life in South Dakota, with particular focus on SDSU, the Brookings area, homesteading, rural education, farming, the Great Depression, and local institutions. Most files include signed release forms, interview transcripts, and in some cases, audio recordings. A pamphlet describing the History program is also included, along with departmental program reviews and photographs. The interviews preserve valuable firsthand accounts of regional and institutional history during the 20th century.
The History Department Records offer a collection of personal stories and community memory from South Dakota residents, contributing to the documentation of the state's cultural, social, and institutional heritage. It also reflects a pedagogical commitment to engaging students in public history and primary source creation during the American Bicentennial.
