Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve Papers

24.27 linear feet [26 document cases, 3 oversize boxes]

The Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve Papers document the literary career, research, and advo-cacy of the acclaimed Lakota writer, educator, and historian. Spanning from the 1960s to the 2020s, the collection includes manuscripts, correspondence, research materials, and pub-lished works that reflect her dedication to Native American storytelling and cultural preservation. It offers a comprehensive look at her contributions to literature, education, and Indige-nous representation.

The Creative Writing series contains fiction and non-fiction works, including Completing the Circle, The Medicine Bag, Dancing Teepees, Standing Bear of the Ponca, and Sioux Women. Each work is accompanied by manuscripts, clippings, correspondence, research notes, print-er’s galleys, proofs, reviews, and scripts. Many manuscripts include editorial annotations and suggested revisions. The correspondence primarily consists of letters between Sneve and publishers, as well as heartfelt messages from schoolchildren, some with drawings, thanking her for her books and school visits. Research materials include notes, collected documents, and recorded interviews. A video adaptation of High Elk’s Treasure is also part of the collection.

The General series includes awards, speaking engagements, clippings, interviews, journals, and research materials. Correspondence features exchanges with publishing houses, Sena-tor Larry Pressler, and fellow writers such as Bob Karolevitz and Audrae Visser. Notably, the series contains an audio reel of an interview Sneve conducted with Harold Shunk, a Bureau of Indian Affairs superintendent. Other items include a 1901 class photograph and various teaching aids.

The Other Writings series highlights Sneve’s contributions beyond creative literature, includ-ing published articles, scripts for a South Dakota Public Radio series, Christian education re-sources for the Episcopal Church Center, newspaper editorials, studies for the Flandreau In-dian School, and a contribution to On the Wings of Peace, a compilation benefiting world peace organizations.

This collection serves as a significant resource for researchers, scholars, and educators stud-ying Indigenous literature, storytelling, and cultural history. It offers a valuable perspective on Native identity, advocacy, and representation, highlighting Sneve’s enduring impact on Native American literary and educational landscapes.

The collection is open to all researchers, with materials accessible on-site only and not avail-able for circulation.

For extensive research, scheduling an appointment in advance via phone or email is encour-aged, including details about the research topic and intended use.

To access materials, researchers must complete and sign the Registration Form and provide proof of identity (e.g., University ID or driver’s license). By signing, researchers agree to ad-here to the Reading Room Rules. The registration document also includes guidelines on making copies of materials, correct referencing, and copyright obligations.

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve retains the literary rights, including copyright, to this material. Patrons wishing to publish from this material must obtain permission directly from Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve. For further information, consult with the staff.

South Dakota State University supports access to its collections, both published and un-published. However, access to certain items may be restricted due to their fragile condition, donor agreements, or copyright.

Reproduction of materials is allowed for research purposes only, and written permission is re-quired for publication or distribution.

Due to the delicate nature of some items, reproduction may be limited.

• English

Bibliography
Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk.

• High Elk’s Treasure. Holiday House, 1972.
• Jimmy Yellow Hawk. Holiday House, 1972.
• Dakota’s Heritage: A Compilation of Indian Place Names in South Dakota. Brevet Press, 1973.
• South Dakota Geographic Names. Brevet Press, 1973.
• Betrayed. Holiday House, 1974.
• When Thunders Spoke. Holiday House, 1974.
• They Led a Nation: Biographical & Pictorial Essays of 20 Dakota Leaders. Brevet Press, 1975.
• That They May Have Life: The Episcopal Church in South Dakota, 1859–1976. Sea-bury Press, 1977.
• The Twelve Moons. Houghton Mifflin, 1977
• The Time of the Horse and the Tribe of the Burnt Thigh. Houghton Mifflin, 1981
• Dancing Teepees: Poems of American Indian Youth. Holiday House, 1989.
• The Chichi Hoohoo Bogeyman. University of Nebraska Press, 1993
• The Navajos. Holiday House, 1993
• The Sioux. Holiday House, 1993.
• When Thunders Spoke. University of Nebraska Press, 1993.
• The Nez Perce. Holiday House, 1994.
  -The Seminoles. Holiday House, 1994.
• Completing the Circle. University of Nebraska Press, 1995.
• The Hopis. Holiday House, 1995.• The Iroquois. Holiday House, 1995.
• The Cherokees. Holiday House, 1996.
• The Cheyenne. Holiday House, 1996
• The Apache. Holiday House, 1997.
• The Trickster and the Troll. University of Nebraska Press, 1997.
• Grandpa Was a Cowboy & an Indian and Other Stories. University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
• Enduring Wisdom: Sayings from Native Americans. Holiday House, 2003.
• Bad River Boys: A Meeting of the Lakota Sioux with Lewis and Clark. Holiday House, 2005.
• Lana’s Lakota Moons. University of Nebraska Press, 2007.
• The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood. Holiday House, 2011.
• Standing Bear of the Ponca. University of Nebraska Press, 2013.
• Sioux Women: Traditionally Sacred. South Dakota Historical Society Press, 2016.
• With Respect and Honor [video recording]. American Indian History Conference (10th: 2002: South Dakota State University), 2002.
• Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Reviews and Advertising. [S.l.: s.n.], 1976?.

https://www.sdstate.edu/sdsu-archives-special-collections/researcher-registration-form

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