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cover of USD commencement program

A copy of the Declaration of Independence from the Allen H. Schell Collection of Campaign Buttons, Pins, and Political Ephemera, box 19.

The Mahoney Music Collection covers a wide range of musical subjects. Within the subject of musical instruments — construction is an unusual set of books, the Hough’s Encyclopaedia of American Woods. While the 1957 set in the Mahoney Music Collection is not complete, a complete set has 16 two-ring binders with samples of wood and […]

In the spring of 1927, U.S. Representative William Williamson found himself engaged in a local struggle between Republicans and businessmen over the McLaughlin Postmaster seat.

The University of South Dakota Archives and Special Collections has finished publishing an online finding aid for Albert J. Maag.

In preparation for July 4, 2026, the Archives and Special Collections staff are searching our collections for items related to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, previous anniversary celebrations, or the five research themes suggested by the American Association for State and Local History. Our latest find is a souvenir from the United States’ […]

While researching another topic, I recently found in a 1975 Volante student newspaper that the League of Women Voters established an all-volunteer recycling center in Vermillion SD, and it was in a restructured building below the bluff. The article does not mention when. If you know when this recycling center started and stopped, please let […]

The Special Olympics, created in 1968, provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for special needs children and adults. The program was originally sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation. Accreditation of programs in the United States was authorized by the founder of the Special Olympics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of Rose Kennedy who […]

The Armory, now called the Belbas Center, was the first indoor athletic building constructed in 1905 at the University of South Dakota (USD) where enrollment was 450 students. Aside from being a venue for military sciences, athletics, and physical education, it served as a place for social activities. Twenty-four years later a building was built […]

The South Dakota Oral History Project is transcribing thousands of digitized interviews to enhance accessibility and citation accuracy. The transcription process includes multiple listen-throughs for correcting grammar and understanding speech patterns, ensuring speakers’ voices are preserved. This meticulous approach culminates in a final review, promoting continuous growth in transcription skills.

The archivist and staff of the Archives and Special Collections write guides to our collections, papers, and records called finding aids and collection inventories. Some of the finding aids and collection inventories finished during 2024: Crow Creek Site collection Day (John) collection on Arthur Amiotte Fahsing (William Frederick) papers Gallup-Livingston (Mary) papers Holm (Richard) notebook […]

The year 1972 marked the 83rd year of football at USD and the 50th anniversary of the North Central conference (NCC). The last time USD football won the NCC championship was in 1951. A combination of an impressive and talented football team and excellent coaching under head coach Joe Salem, winner the District Six Coach […]

Beatrice Chaffee was the first and only woman chair of the Department of Music at the University of South Dakota (USD). Her background was in music education. Ms. Chaffee taught music and choir to K-12 grades in schools in Pennsylvania, Iowa and South Dakota. In 1961 she received her Master of Music Degree from USD […]

The Archives and Special Collections has many Vermillion newspapers, but we don’t have the Dakota Republicans before 1923. You can find this 1869 ad in the Digital Archives at the Vermillion Public Library.

Y2K was a potential computer problem that could have occurred when the year changed from 1999 to 2000. The William J. Janklow papers contain information about the taskforce that was formed to solve any issues that may materialize in South Dakota.

Theatre at the University of South Dakota (USD) has a long history involving student clubs, academic units, and the Black Hills Playhouse. The USD theatre program educates students in skills needed for acting and behind the scenes activities such as costume, set, and prop design and production. Students also learn about play writing, and the […]

Do you want to serve a tasty Christmas meal that is not roasted turkey? We have a cookbook with great ideas for you in the Archives and Special Collections: The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman and Beth Dooley, call number CHILSON COLLECTION / 3RD FLOOR ; E98.F7 S54 2017. There are many cookbooks in the […]