The South Dakota Humanities Council would like to extend a special invitation to non-profit humanities organizations and certain tax-exempt groups to apply for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant opportunity. We have approximately $550,000 to award for requests up to $25,000.

In recognition that the Coronavirus pandemic has had a serious impact on the public humanities field across the state, the South Dakota Humanities Council will direct funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), to meet the emergency needs of organizations and to help sustain and strengthen the humanities in South Dakota

The South Dakota Humanities Council, in cooperation with longtime SDHC scholar Lawrence Diggs, has developed a program to bring people peace and unity during these trying and divisive times. 

Brainstorming: The Human Connection is a weekly discussion series led by Diggs. Sign up now to participate in these important weekly discussions.

During "An Evening with Louise Erdrich" March 25, SDPB radio host Lori Walsh interviewed National Book Award winner Louise Erdrich about Native American electoral access. This exclusive event was funded by a $50,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to educate South Dakotans on the importance of civic participation. Watch the replay here.

In “The Reappearing Voter,” presented via Zoom on March 9 at 7 pm CT/6 pm MT, Harvard professor and 2018 One Book South Dakota Author (Informing the News: The Need for Knowledge-Based Journalism) Thomas E. Patterson and respected South Dakota State University professor emeritus Robert V. Burns examined voter participation trends and recurring problems in American democracy.

View the recording here.