The South Dakota Dairy Association records document its role in shaping the state’s dairy industry from the early 1900s to the early 2000s. This collection includes ledgers, administrative materials, financial records, and publications that provide insight into the association’s governance, advocacy, and industry impact. Annual reports, meeting minutes, and convention programs spanning a century highlight efforts to promote dairy farming practices, support producers, and establish industry standards.
Significant materials include governance documents such as the association’s constitution, amendments, and certificate of incorporation, as well as financial records detailing operations and contests. Convention programs from 1911 to 1999, along with reports on industry regulations, illustrate the association’s efforts to foster professional development and policy discussions. The collection also includes medals, photographs, and newspaper clippings, offering a connection to the association’s legacy.
These materials provide valuable context for understanding the evolution of South Dakota’s dairy industry, reflecting broader agricultural trends, economic contributions, and the collaborative efforts that shaped the state’s dairy sector.

This collection is composed of scrapbooks, photographs, citations, and publications related to Eminent Farmers and Homemakers.

The Scrapbooks are composed of three scrapbooks of the Eminent Farmers and Homemakers. Scrapbook I covers the years 1928-1969 and includes a report of an annual business meeting, newsletters, newspaper clippings of eminent farmers and homemakers (mainly obituaries), correspondence, programs and memorabilia. Scrapbook II is titled "Sands of Time" and covers the years 1952-1982. This scrapbook includes newspaper clippings, photographs, minutes from annual meetings for the years 1965-1982, and a necrology report for 1972-82 that lists deaths of eminent farmer and homemakers and notes the year that they were honored. Scrapbook III is titled "History, 1972-1988". This scrapbook includes biographies of eminent farmer and homemakers, programs from annual meetings and notes any deaths that occurred during the year. Also included is a mailing list of Master Farmer Homemakers for 1972-1988.

The Honoree photographs are composed of photographs of Eminent Farmer and Homemakers for the years 1927-1991. These photographs formerly hung on the Eminent Farmer and Homemaker Wall of Fame in Agricultural Hall on the South Dakota State University Campus. Most of the photographs are approximately 14.5 inches x 18 inches in size. Due to the manner in which these photographs were displayed, many were damaged by UV rays. On the mat of each photograph was a caption that included the name, year honored, and county or town of the Eminent Farmer of Homemaker. The Eminent Farmer photographs also included their occupation or area of interest in the caption. The Eminent Homemaker photograph captions only stated that each was an Eminent Homemaker and most do not include the woman's first name, only the name of their spouse preceded by Mrs. (i.e. Mrs. John Doe). This seemed to remain the practice until the late 1980's.

Mats and frames that housed the Honoree Photographs were removed for preservation purposes. Care was taken in the removal of the mats, however some tape and dried glue residue still remains. Photographs and negatives were removed to the Photograph Archives for preservation and access purposes. The negatives that accompany these photographs are mainly 4 inches x 5 inches in size and cover the years 1960-1991. The negatives were produced after the photographs were removed from Agricultural Hall and before the mats were removed. The caption that was included on the mat of each photograph appears in these negatives. This material is arranged chronologically.

The Honoree citations are composed of citations of Eminent Farmers and Homemakers. Each citation includes biographical information about the farmer or homemaker, information about how each manages their farm or household, and notes other awards or offices held. Some citations include a transcript of the acceptance speech given by the farmer or homemaker at the recognition banquet. The earlier citations generally include stories of how their families came to homestead in Dakota Territory and include accounts of dealing with blizzards and Indians. This material is arranged alphabetically.

Also included are programs published for the Eminent Farmers and Homemakers banquet held annually to recognize that year's recipients of the award.

The South Dakota Farmers Union Records provide a comprehensive account of the organization’s history, advocacy, and role in shaping agricultural policy from the early 20th century to the early 2000s. The collection documents the Union’s efforts to support family farmers, promote cooperative enterprises, and influence state and national agricultural legislation. Materials include organizational records, correspondence, meeting minutes, financial statements, educational materials, photographs, audiovisual recordings, and publications.

A significant portion of the collection pertains to the Union’s legislative and political engagement, featuring records from state and national conventions, speeches, campaign materials, and lobbying efforts. These materials illustrate the Union’s role in advocating agricultural policy reforms, rural economic development, and cooperative business models. Key figures such as Ben Radcliffe, George McGovern, Hubert Humphrey, and Eleanor Roosevelt are represented in convention proceedings, recorded speeches, and radio broadcasts. The 1972 Supreme Court case on public school funding through property tax is also documented through clippings, correspondence, and legal evidence.

The audiovisual materials consist of 13 audiocassettes, 156 open reel tapes, 6 wire recordings, and 34 16mm motion picture films, spanning from 1948 to 1992. These recordings capture state and national conventions, radio programs, speeches, and advertisements, along with footage of state camp activities, tours, picnics, and parades. Many of the materials promote legislative initiatives and endorse political candidates. In 2018, the South Dakota Farmers Union audiovisual collection was digitized with the support of a Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources. Due to the fragile state of many recordings, the Archives partnered with George Blood L.P. to ensure high-quality digital preservation in sustainable formats.

The Cooperative Legacy Project, spearheaded by Chuck Groth, communications director for the South Dakota Farmers Union from 1972 to 2008, provides an in-depth oral history of the cooperative movement in South Dakota. This project includes over 110 hours of digital audio interviews with Farmers Union members, cooperative managers, and farm organization leaders. The interviews, recorded in MP3 and WAV formats, are supplemented by documents, scanned photographs, and rough transcriptions, offering insight into the history and impact of the cooperative movement.

The collection also includes publications from the National Farmers Union and various state organizations, as well as South Dakota Farmers Union-produced materials such as convention programs (1938-1983), policy statements (1954-1988), handbooks, and brochures. The photographic collection, comprising over 33,000 photographs and negatives, documents youth programs, conventions, picnics, tours, and key moments in the organization’s history, as well as images published in the South Dakota Union Farmer.

Records from local unions throughout South Dakota provide insight into grassroots organizing efforts, consisting of charter records, attendance logs, minutes, and correspondence, with some materials accompanied by photographs. This material includes essential governance documents such as constitutions, by-laws, speeches, scrapbooks, and advertising materials, with Farmers Union annual convention minutes spanning from 1926 to 1946.

This collection serves as an invaluable resource for researchers studying agricultural policy, rural advocacy, cooperative movements, and the political and economic history of farming in South Dakota and the United States. Through its extensive documentation of legislative efforts, community programs, and cooperative business models, the South Dakota Farmers Union Records provide a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of American agriculture.

This collection is composed of correspondence, publications, minutes and materials related to meetings, general office files, financial records, material related to the South Dakota Humanities Foundation, projects and research, grant proposals submitted to the council, and material related to the Big Read, South Dakota Festival of Books, Speakers Bureau, the Reading Series, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Also included are photographic prints, negatives, slides, films, audio reels, audio cassettes, video cassettes, and filmstrips.

The material related to proposals consists of the most interesting material in this collection. Included in these files are applications submitted by potential grantees, award and rejection letters, correspondence with the grantee and council staff, program evaluation forms, financial material related to the grant, media and publication produced by the grantee, and publicity about the grant/program. Some files also contain final products produced by the grantee, such as films, videos, publications, and audio material. Materials in these sub-series are arranged by grant proposal number.

The financial records are composed of vouchers, accounting ledger sheets, reports, and receipts and disbursements. Material is these sub-series are arranged by account number.

This collection is composed of records of the South Dakota Nurses' Association. Records consist mainly of committee files, minutes, correspondence, reports, membership files, convention material, project files, lobby material, scrapbooks, publications, and material dealing with associated groups.

The Committee's files are composed of material produced by the activities of the various SDNA committees. These items include minutes from the meetings of the committees, quarterly and annual reports sent back to the SDNA, and information about projects the committees worked on. There is also a great quantity of correspondence, including correspondence between committee members, between the committees and SDNA, and between the committees and the nurses associations of other states. Also included are forms and results sheets for many surveys that the committees conducted.

Task Forces files are composed of material produced by the various SDNA task forces. These items include minutes from the meetings of the task forces, quarterly and annual reports sent back to the SDNA, and information about the projects the task forces worked on. There is also a great quantity of correspondence including correspondence between task force members, between the task forces and SDNA, and between the task forces and nurses associations in other states. There are also forms and results sheets for the surveys that the task forces conducted.

The Correspondence includes the correspondence of the board of directors, president, and district presidents. It also includes correspondence with specific groups or individuals, such as the SD governor and the Nutrition Council of South Dakota. There is also correspondence dealing with specific projects and events, such as a poster contest and correspondence to nurses in Operation Desert Storm.

Most of the Forums items come from the forums held statewide in 1974-1975 to consider continuing education for nurses. This material mostly consists of evaluations of the questionnaire and comment sheets the participants filled out. Reports from small group discussions are also included. There is also one folder of material from the Human Services Forum meetings between 1974 and 1980. This material consists mostly of correspondence about the meetings, along with a few issues of their newsletter and reports sent back to the SDNA by people who attended.

The Board of Directors material is composed almost entirely of agendas and minutes of the SDNA Board of directors meetings from 1974 to 1994. It also includes the SDNA treasurer’s ledger from 1918 to 1950.

The Reports include the books of annual reports from 1948 to 1995. These books consist of the annual reports submitted by each committee, district, and several allied groups. These report books also include the standing rules for the annual convention, a report from the president and executive director, and the financial report from the annual audit. This series also includes reports from projects the SDNA was involved with, such as Project Motion and the Economic Security Program. It also includes the auditor’s annual financial reports from 1972 to 1989, along with other financial reports from that time.

The Membership material is composed of various letters and reports dealing with SDNA’s membership. These include monthly reports showing changes in each district’s membership and listing all new or deleted members. They also include lists of the membership of each district for some years and the results of the membership surveys that were sent out to all members of SDNA. The correspondence includes letters about new members and dues as well as the form letters that were sent to members when they joined or quit SDNA.

The Districts' material consists of correspondence between the districts and the SDNA and between the districts and their officers and members. It also includes annual and quarterly reports from each district to the SDNA main office and the by-laws of each district, as well as some lists of district officers. A few brochures and newspaper clippings about district-level activities are included as well.

The Nurses Day is divided into two sub-series: National Nurses Day and Nurses Day at the Legislature. The former includes correspondence about the theme and activities of National Nurses Day, information about promotional posters and ribbons that were distributed to the districts, and newspaper clippings. It also includes materials sent from the American Nurses Association to the state associations for this event, such as sample press releases, governor/mayoral proclamations, and pamphlets. The Nurses Day at the Legislature material includes correspondence to SDNA members and legislators, agendas, programs and invitations to the event, and information about finances and pre-registration. It also includes information about the legislators and the bills affecting health care, along with information from SDNA’s lobbyists about the legislative process and how to contact legislators.

The March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award series is composed of information about the award. It includes correspondence about the program and correspondence nominating people for the award. It also includes resumes for the nominees, ballots, correspondence with the judges, and press releases.

The Convention is materials from the annual SDNA convention. This consists mainly of correspondence about the convention, registration, and booth rentals. It also includes programs and agendas for the meetings, banquets, and luncheons held at the convention. There is also financial information, including lists of exhibitors, sponsors, registrants, and financial summaries and budgets. The series also includes information about the House of Delegates that meets during the convention, including resolutions adopted by them and lists of each district’s representatives. There are also many press releases, photographs, and newspaper clippings from the convention. Finally, there are several folders of convention planning materials explaining how to prepare for the convention and a copy of most of the convention programs from 1918 to 1975.

The Projects materials are from the various projects SDNA has been involved with. This includes both local projects, such as the health fair and pilot membership project, and national projects, such as the Year of the Nurse and the building of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. The materials consist mainly of correspondence about the projects, along with evaluations, summaries, and reports of what the projects accomplished. There are also a few newspaper clippings about the projects.

The American Nurses Association files are composed of materials from the national organization of which the SDNA is a branch, the American Nurses Association. The materials consist of correspondence about appointments to various ANA offices and about changes in the SDNA’s officers at the state and district levels. It also includes correspondence about the ANA House of Delegates and a summary book about the topics they discussed. Other materials related to nursing and nursing education are also included.

The Lobbyist materials relate to the lobbyist the SDNA hires for the South Dakota legislative season. This material includes correspondence with the lobbyist, the SDNA, and the legislators. There are SDNA priorities, copies of bills, and legislative memos from the lobbyist to the SDNA that give information about any healthcare-related issues being debated by the legislature. There is also information about the lobbyist position itself, including information about paying the lobbyist, and copies of the agreement that he/she signed. Copies of the Legislative Hotline newsletter sent out to SDNA members by the lobbyist during the legislative session are also included.

The Allied Groups files are from the health-care-related organizations with which the SDNA is allied. Most of the material is from local groups, such as the SD Nursing Network and the SD Public Health Association, or from South Dakota chapters of national organizations such as ASHET and the Joint Practice Commission. The material consists mainly of correspondence with the organizations and reports from the delegates sent by the SDNA to attend joint meetings. There is also some other information about the various organizations, including a few pamphlets, copies of bylaws, and some position statements.

The General series is composed of the material in the collection that did not fit into any other series. It includes correspondence about and entries for the annual American Journal of Nursing writing contest. Most of the remainder is correspondence about topics ranging from a creativity seminar to the Equal Rights Amendment. There are several past calendars and information on several individuals and their influence on nursing in South Dakota. There is also the manuscript for History of Nursing in South Dakota. There are also many newspaper clippings and photographs about the SDNA and about the State Hospital in Yankton.

In the Collected publications there are books about nursing and nursing history throughout history. There are several pamphlets on Nurses in the Navy and the American Red Cross Nursing Services. There are several pamphlets on the standards of a variety of nursing practices. The American Journal of Nursing from 1943 is included as well. As well there are several books that have nothing to do with nursing.

The Association publications are composed of the material produced by the South Dakota Nurses’ Association. This includes a convention poster, the SDNA newsletter, and the South Dakota Nurse.

The Scrapbooks are composed of material about the SDNA/ANA and are arranged into parts cover the years from 1916 – 1987. There are photographs and newspaper clippings throughout the material.

The South Dakota Board of Nursing files is composed of material produced by the SD Board of Nursing from 1950 – 1979. There are meeting minutes and other materials used by the board.

The League for Nursing material is composed of the material for the League for Nursing. There are membership lists, annual reports, and bylaws. It also includes the cash book and money receipts.

The Nursing Education and Schools files are composed of material about Nursing Education and Schools from 1900 – 1974.

In the Nursing History, there is information on Florence Nightingale, General Early Nursing, and Great Moments in Medicine. Folders in this series are arranged in alphabetical order and there under chronologically.

The Audio-visual material is composed of material video and audio cassettes. There are three videos; one contains the Pierre Centennial Parade with the SDNA’s float. The SDCNO Conference of June 5 – 7, 1990, and R.E.A.C.H. slides are on the other two. There are twelve audio cassettes; several from SDNA conferences and other events.

The physical objects consist of material that has been either donated to or collected by the SDNA. Included is a nurse’s cap, uniform, watch, graduation speech, and injection kit donated by Mabel Belle Wilson. There is also a plaque from the American Journal of Nursing.

The SDLNE [South Dakota League for Nursing Education] is arranged into parts covering the years 1938 – 1971.

The National-State Leaders consists of material about the National/State Leaders of Nursing. Arrangement: Folders are arranged in alphabetical order.

The South Dakota Resources Coalition consists of administrative material and subject files. The administrative material consists of meeting minutes, committee files, correspondence, financial and membership records and publications. The subject files consist of research SDRC has performed throughout the years, mainly to assist them in their lobbying efforts. The subjects deal mainly with environmental issues as they relate to South Dakota.

The South Dakota Climate Office Records consists mainly of weather observation data sheets from South Dakota as well as some weather reporting stations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wyoming. The data sheets are comprised of daily observations recorded by volunteers in communities throughout the state. Data about precipitation, air temperature, soil temperature, and various other forms of climatological information is gathered. Data gathered is varied based on the complexity of the observation equipment based at each station.

Also included are various office records, such as graduate student master's theses, photographs, and grants.