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We Are South Dakota Humanities

We celebrate literature – promote civil conversation – and tell the stories that define our state

The South Dakota Humanities Council acknowledges that it operates on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Oceti Sakowin – the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota. We honor and appreciate the Indigenous people who have the longest relationship to this place.

About the South Dakota Humanities Council

The South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) connects people across the state through ideas, stories, and conversations that deepen our understanding of one another and the world around us. Founded on the National Endowment for the Humanities principle that “Democracy demands wisdom,” SDHC believes the humanities should be accessible to everyone. For that reason, our programs are offered free of charge and designed to reach communities across South Dakota.

Through grants, statewide reading programs, author tours, and educational initiatives, SDHC partners with libraries, schools, museums, and local organizations to explore our state’s history, cultures, and civic life. By bringing people together to learn, reflect, and share experiences, the Council helps build a more informed, thoughtful, and connected South Dakota.

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Founded in 1972 by the hard work of fellow South Dakotans, the South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is the only cultural organization in the state whose sole mission is to deliver humanities programming to the people of South Dakota.
Grant Opportunities
Young Readers HumanitiesRock.com

68% of South Dakota’s youth
read below a proficient level

Since 2014, SDHC has selected a book for the Young Readers One Book program to share with children across the state. Through our partnership with South Dakota educators, Black Hills Reads, and SFEC, we are shaping powerful learning habits to increase our youth’s reading achievement levels when they’re the most impressionable through book ownership, author interactions, and class materials.

Our program’s success is only made possible through the generous donations we’ve received over the years. We’re grateful for the many supporters who have joined us on this incredible journey. While we’ve gone from delivering a few thousand books to over 14,000 across the state this year, we acknowledge that our mission goes beyond these contributions. As we work to inspire young minds, we invite others to join us in our efforts to profoundly impact and inspire our youth in 2024 and beyond.

You can Impact and Inspire
Click here for more information about this program.

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