SDHC Supports Community Reading Through Big Read Program
The mission of the South Dakota Humanities Council is to celebrate literature, promote civil conversation, and tell stories that define our state. One way by which to fulfill that mission is to connect communities statewide through reading. SDHC is proud to host statewide book initiatives, like our One Book South Dakota program, our Young Readers One Book program, and our Book Club to Go/Lending Library program, but another means by which we promote reading in South Dakota is through a partnership with the NEA’s national Big Read program.
In 2004, a national survey entitled Reading at Risk indicated that fewer adults were reading for fun. To combat this issue, the federal government created “The Big Read” with the idea that if a community reads the same book, they will talk more, making neighborhoods feel like a team. In 2006, the National Endowment for the Arts teamed up with Arts Midwest to launch the NEA Big Read initiative to combat the declining rates of reading in America. A year later, the initiative had expanded to include grassroots local events and national radio audio documentaries that helped the public explore classic works of literature, like Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. However, what began as a focus on classic American fiction rapidly expanded to include a more diverse collection of literature – novels, poetry collections, short stories, essays, and memoirs. In the 20 years of the program’s existence, it has funded more than 1,800 community reading programs across the nation.
The process is relatively simple. The government curates a list of books. Local community groups – like libraries, museums, tribal governments, and universities – can request grant funding ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to purchase these books. If awarded the grant funding, these entities build months-long programming centered around the pre-selected book from the NEA Big Read Library. These community events include a variety of activities, including book discussions and author presentations, as well as theatrical and musical performances, writing workshops and poetry slams, art exhibitions, and even film screenings. The Library of Congress plays a significant role in this process…and that’s where the South Dakota Humanities Council – and the South Dakota Center for the Book – come in.
Every state and territory in the U.S. is home to a Library of Congress affiliate “Center for the Book.” The South Dakota Center for the Book was established by the Library of Congress in 2002 and is housed within the South Dakota Humanities Council. Its mission is to promote reading, literacy, and South Dakota’s literary heritage. Along with hosting SDHC’s most popular event – the South Dakota Festival of Books – the SD Center for the Book is also responsible for choosing the titles that are most representative of our state for inclusion on the NEA/Arts Midwest Big Read book selectin list. The theme of the 2026 Big Read program focuses on America’s diverse history, culture, and resilience as a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The books chosen as most representative of South Dakota for the Big Read list for 2026 – one adult title and one for younger readers – are The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America, by Jeffrey Rosen, and Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills, by Billy Mills, Donna Janell Bowman, and illustrator S.D. Nelson.
For more information about the NEA’s Big Read Program, book selections, and grant applications, visit https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/nea-big-read. To apply for community project funding, view guidelines and submission steps, visit the Arts Midwest NEA Big Read portal at https://artsmidwest.org/get-support/nea-big-read/.