South Dakota basketball players in USA jerseys carry US and state flags in opening ceremony in a full arena in Cuba

South Dakota basketball players in casual clothing greeting young people as delegates to Cuba

South Dakota basketball players in casual clothing greeting young people as delegates to Cuba

Members of the press, South Dakota basketball delegation, others standing on basketball court inside empty arena in Cuba

South Dakota basketball players wearing casual clothing and USA polo shirts pose in front of hoop in basketball arena in Cuba

South Dakota basketball player in casual clothing greeting young people as delegate to Cuba

South Dakota basketball players in casual clothing greeting young people as delegates to Cuba

South Dakota basketball player in casual clothing greeting young people as delegate to Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation to Cuba in casual clothing waiting at airport with their luggage

South Dakota basketball player in casual clothing greeting young people as delegate to Cuba

The South Dakota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (SDAFCS) Records document the evolution of home economics and family and consumer sciences organizations at both the state and national levels. The collection spans from 1913 to 2008 and includes records from predecessor organizations such as the National Association of Extension Home Economists, the South Dakota Home Demonstration Agents Association, the South Dakota Home Economics Association, and the South Dakota Association of Extension Home Economists. Materials include meeting minutes, officer handbooks, annual conference programs, newsletters, reports, correspondence, scrapbooks, constitutions and bylaws, financial records, award documentation, and photographs.

The records trace the activities and organizational changes of home economics professionals, including local and national conference proceedings, program development, and educational initiatives. The earliest materials document the formation of the South Dakota Home Demonstration Agents Association and its leadership, while later records highlight the organization’s transition through multiple name changes, reflecting shifts in the professional scope of family and consumer sciences. Of particular note are correspondence files related to early officers such as Eva Dawes, as well as detailed meeting and committee records from the South Dakota Association of Extension Home Economists, which illustrate the structure and governance of the association from the 1940s through the 1990s.

The collection also contains materials related to professional development and recognition, such as award programs, scholarship information, and membership records. Scrapbooks and photographs document conferences, special events, and member activities. Conference materials and strategic plans from the 1990s and 2000s illustrate the association’s continued focus on leadership, education, and public engagement in family and consumer sciences.

These records document the professionalization and history of home economics in South Dakota, the expansion of educational outreach through the Cooperative Extension Service, and the development of the family and consumer sciences discipline nationally. They provide valuable insight into the leadership, governance, and community service of South Dakota educators, particularly women, who advanced the field through teaching, extension work, and organizational involvement.

These records document the governance and organization of women’s intercollegiate athletics in South Dakota. Administrative materials include affidavits of eligibility, handbooks, certificates, correspondence, financial statements, and meeting minutes that record decision-making processes and coordination with the national Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Event and competition materials include programs and results for basketball, volleyball, and track and field meets, along with documentation for Region 6 tournaments and Division I championships. Photographs, primarily of women’s basketball teams and activities, provide visual documentation of athletic participation during this period. Additional files from the South Dakota Athletic and Recreation Federation of College Women contribute context for statewide athletic governance and institutional engagement.

The records document the development and administration of women’s collegiate athletics during the period surrounding the implementation of Title IX and the transition from AIAW to NCAA oversight. They provide evidence of eligibility practices, governance structures, and competitive opportunities for female student athletes in South Dakota, as well as the relationship between state, regional, and national athletic organizations.

This collection consists of administrative, exhibition, and support organization records for the South Dakota Art Museum from its founding through the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The materials document the museum’s internal operations, public programming, physical development, and community engagement, particularly under the leadership of founding director Joseph M. Stuart and subsequent administrators.

Director’s records include materials related to the planning, construction, and expansion of the museum building, including architectural plans, specifications, fundraising materials, and correspondence surrounding the original facility (dedicated in 1970) and later additions in the 1990s. Fundraising records primarily document the Visions for the Future campaign and include profiles, strategies, correspondence, and Board of Trustees involvement. Financial documents include operating budgets, accounting reports, museum shop inventories, and grant records.

Exhibition records constitute a major portion of the collection and comprehensively document the planning and execution of exhibitions from 1970 through the early 2000s. Included are exhibition catalogues, promotional materials, artist correspondence, insurance and shipping documents, photographs, slides, press clippings, and exhibition planning documents such as object labels and installation instructions. The exhibitions span a wide range of themes, styles, and artists, including both national and international figures, as well as a strong focus on South Dakota artists and Native American art. Highlights include recurring biennials, traveling exhibitions, and retrospectives of significant regional artists such as Harvey Dunn and Oscar Howe.

Board of Trustees records include meeting agendas and minutes, member biographies, correspondence, reports, committee files, by-laws, ethics policies, and orientation materials. These materials document the museum’s governance and strategic planning over several decades.

The Guild records reflect the activities of the South Dakota Art Museum Guild and include by-laws, handbooks, training materials for docents, correspondence, promotional documents, and event planning records. These materials emphasize the Guild's volunteer and educational role in museum outreach and support.

Other materials include accreditation documentation submitted to the American Association of Museums, annual reports, publications, event planning files, and materials related to special initiatives and commemorative events. The collection also includes significant documentation on the museum’s permanent collections, particularly works by Harvey Dunn, Oscar Howe, and the Marghab Linen Collection.

This collection offers documentation of the development, programming, and administration of the South Dakota Art Museum, the first museum in South Dakota to receive accreditation from the American Association of Museums. It illustrates the museum’s growth from a state-supported regional institution to a key center for visual arts in the Northern Plains. The records reveal the museum's emphasis on South Dakota’s artistic heritage, particularly through its stewardship of landmark collections and support of Native American and regional artists. The materials also highlight the museum’s role in public education and cultural outreach through exhibitions, publications, events, and docent programs.

Cuban national team basketball players dining with members of South Dakota basketball delegation to Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation dining on pineapple in Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation dining in Cuba

Members of the South Dakota basketball delegation dining in Cuba

Cuban national team basketball players dining with members of South Dakota basketball delegation to Cuba

Cuban national team basketball players dining with members of South Dakota basketball delegation to Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation dining in Cuba

Cuban national team basketball players dining during visit from South Dakota basketball delegation to Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation and Cuban national team players at a cafe in Cuba

Cuban national team basketball players dining with members of South Dakota basketball delegation to Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation dining on pineapple in Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation dining in Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation drinking beer in an outdoor cafe in Cuba with video cameras in background

South Dakota basketball delegation dining in Cuba

South Dakota basketball delegation and Cuban national team players at a cafe in Cuba

South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station display featuring examples of new hybrid plums, ornamentals, and crossing and selection work of N.E. Hansen

Ship on the Inland Sea in Japan; written in pencil on the back: Ships on Inland Sea, Japan 1924

Ships in Tokyo Bay at Yokahama, Japan; written in pencil on the back: Yokohama 1924

Ships at port in Tokyo Bay at Yokahama, Japan; written in pencil on the back: Yokohama 1924

View of ships at port in Tokyo Bay at Yokahama, Japan from the shore; written in pencil on the back: Yokohama 1924

View of ships at port in Tokyo Bay at Yokahama, Japan from the shore; written in pencil on the back: Yokohama 1924

Ship in Tokyo Bay at Yokahama, Japan; written in pencil on the back: Yokohama 1924

This collection documents the professional career and public service of Sherwood O. Berg, with a substantial focus on his role as chairperson of the National Advisory Commission on Food and Fiber, established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. The collection includes comprehensive documentation of the Commission’s activities, such as collected research materials, correspondence, policy drafts, technical papers, transcripts from public hearings, meeting notes, and the final published reports. Topics span international agriculture, rural development, population pressures, agricultural economics, cotton and fiber policy, nutrition, and global hunger.

The papers also include records from Berg’s international consulting and leadership roles with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities (MUCIA), particularly in Indonesia, Morocco, Cameroon, and the Philippines, covering projects in agricultural education, institutional development, and economic policy.

Further materials document Berg’s service as President of South Dakota State University, including administrative notes, speeches, committee records, and press coverage. His involvement with numerous civic, professional, and international organizations—such as the Reserve Officers Association, Phi Kappa Phi, Nature Conservancy, Farm Foundation, and Rotary International—is also well represented. The collection includes biographical files, awards, military service records, photographs, and correspondence spanning from the 1940s through the early 2000s.

This collection is a record of Sherwood O. Berg’s influence on U.S. agricultural policy, international development, and higher education leadership. It provides insight into federal food and fiber policy during the 1960s, particularly through the Commission’s efforts to guide agricultural decision-making at the national level. The records also reflect the growing emphasis on global collaboration in agricultural education and the modernization of institutions in developing countries. Berg’s presidency at SDSU is further documented through his administrative leadership and campus initiatives, especially those related to internationalization and faculty governance.

NCAA Championship, Newspaper, Photograph, Scorecards

NCAA Championship, Photographs

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.

Flandreau Indian School Success Academy

This artificial collection consists of assembled materials, publications, and documents related to buildings and landmarks on the campus of South Dakota State University. Developed over time rather than through a formal records transfer process, it draws from a variety of sources, including university departments, staff, and individual donations. As a result, the files vary widely in content and completeness, with some buildings represented by detailed construction specifications and dedication materials, while others include only clippings or brief correspondence. Materials are added as they are discovered, and there is no comprehensive or systematic effort to document every campus structure. The collection spans from the late nineteenth century to the present and documents the development, use, renovation, and historical significance of SDSU buildings and landmarks. It reflects the university’s physical growth and changing infrastructure and includes building specifications, construction and renovation plans, capital outlay reports, budget data, architectural blueprints, maintenance records, and materials related to dedications, groundbreaking ceremonies, anniversaries, and other commemorative events. Buildings represented range from academic halls (such as Shepard Hall and Crothers Engineering Hall), agricultural facilities (such as Dean Farms and the Agronomy Buildings), research centers (such as the Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory and the Raven Precision Agriculture Center), libraries, student housing and unions, athletic facilities (such as Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium and Coughlin-Alumni Stadium), and landmark structures including the Coughlin Campanile and Woodbine Cottage.

Crowd at a basketball game between South Dakota delegation and Cuban national team

Photographs

Dead trees on the Trans-Siberian Railway enroute to Saolin in northern China; written in pencil on the back: On Siberian Railway enroute to Saolin 1924 North China

View of a river in a valley of the Da Hinggan mountain range in northern China; written in pencil on the back: In Hinggan North China mountains 1924

Valley of the Da Hinggan mountain range in northern China where the Trans-Siberian Railway runs, there are buildings in the foreground; written in pencil on the back: In Hinggan North China in mountains 1924

1977 South Dakota men's basketball delegation to Cuba organized by Senator George McGovern and attended by students athletes from South Dakota State University and South Dakota State University, as well as Governor James Abourezk. Includes rosters for games played between Cuban national team and South Dakota teams.

The Robert V. Burns Papers document his professional service, teaching, and involvement in state and national commissions between the late 1960s and early 2000s. The collection includes material from the 2000 NAFTA Conference on Canadian–United States agricultural trade issues organized by Burns, with correspondence, government official communications, publicity, talking points, publications, proceedings, and Governor William Janklow’s keynote speech.

Extensive records relate to the South Dakota Executive Branch Reorganization (1968–1973), including correspondence, staff documents, legislation, reports, research files, and recommendations from the Citizen’s Commission on Executive Reorganization. Burns’s work with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is represented through agenda books, publications, and policy studies.

Additional materials reflect his participation in the National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education, the Constitutional Revision Commission, and the Governor’s Task Forces on education and wages. Files also include material on judicial elections, Brookings railroad safety, higher education assessment, civic service, and Burns’s 1980 State Representative campaign. The papers preserve a record of Burns’s role in shaping higher education policy, state governance, and civic engagement in South Dakota and beyond.

This collection is a resource for understanding South Dakota’s political, educational, and policy development during the late 20th century. It provides insight into Burns’s leadership in higher education reform, state reorganization efforts, agricultural trade policy, and public service. His involvement with regional and national commissions underscores South Dakota’s participation in broader discussions on governance, education, and economic policy.

The Robert T. Wagner Papers span the years 1971 to 1998 and document Wagner’s academic and administrative career in South Dakota higher education. The collection includes biographical information, professional correspondence, calendars, speeches, photographs, newspaper clippings, reports, certificates, newsletters, evaluations, and materials related to public events and institutional activities.

Early materials document Wagner’s service as a professor of rural sociology at South Dakota State University and include correspondence, calendars, programs related to speaking engagements, and greeting cards. A small amount of instructional material related to courses he taught is also present. Records from his service as Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs include correspondence, calendars, clippings, photographs, certificates, and related administrative materials.

The largest portion of the collection documents Wagner’s presidency at South Dakota State University from 1985 to 1997. These records include extensive correspondence, calendars and activity files, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs, reports, and materials related to campus events, travel, and public appearances. Notable files document international travel, including a trip to Russia in 1990 and participation in the Oxford Round Table at Cambridge University in 1994. The collection concludes with materials related to Wagner’s retirement, including guest books, letters, and records from his designation as President Emeritus.

The Robert T. Wagner Papaers document the administration of South Dakota State University during a period of institutional transition and growth from the mid 1980s through the late 1990s. The records provide insight into university governance, presidential leadership, campus development, and public representation of the institution. The collection also contributes to the documentation of higher education administration in South Dakota and preserves evidence of Wagner’s earlier academic career in rural sociology.

Photographs

Photographs

Photographs

Photographs

The Robert F. Karolevitz Papers document the life and work of a prolific South Dakota journalist, author, public speaker, and historian. Spanning the years 1833 to 2005, with the bulk of the material dating from 1910 to 1999, the collection offers comprehensive insight into Karolevitz’s personal life, professional writing career, civic activities, and historical research.

The collection includes personal files such as education records, family correspondence, financial and legal documents, memorabilia, and ephemera. These materials trace Karolevitz’s academic path through Yankton High School, South Dakota State College, and the University of Oregon, as well as his later roles as a public speaker and educator. Family records highlight several generations of the Karolevitz family, with photographs, commemorative materials, and genealogical documentation reflecting his strong ties to Yankton and Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Professional files encompass manuscripts, published and unpublished writings, newspaper columns, speeches, advertising and political ghostwriting, and correspondence with publishers. Among the most notable works documented are Flight of Eagles, This Was Trucking, With a Shirt Tail Full of Type, and The Prairie is My Garden. Supplementary materials include book layouts, catalogs, and awards from institutions such as South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Newspaper Association, and Toastmasters International.

Karolevitz’s extensive research files span a wide range of historical subjects, including South Dakota and regional history, Catholic institutions, journalism, automotive culture, and American military history. These files contain clippings, correspondence, notes, pamphlets, and illustrations gathered in support of his writing and historical interests.

A major strength of the collection is its substantial photographic holdings, comprising thousands of prints, negatives, slides, and postcards. Subjects include early automobiles, farm equipment, American Indian communities, historic newspaper offices, Catholic parishes, World War I, and South Dakota towns and landscapes. These visual materials significantly enrich the documentation of regional culture and 20th-century American life.

Collectively, the Robert F. Karolevitz Papers form a rich resource for scholars of American regional history, journalism, Catholic heritage, and South Dakota’s cultural identity. The collection offers a deeply personal and professionally expansive view of one of the state’s most dedicated chroniclers.