The Archives and Special Collections is 50 years old.

The Archives and Special Collections at the University of South Dakota began in October 1968 when Herbert Schell was appointed the first University Archivist. He was largely responsible for organizing The University of South Dakota’s historical records into the USD Archives. His extensive letter writing campaign between 1968 and 1971 added many collections of professional and personal papers from prominent South Dakotans to the Richardson Collection.

October is South Dakota Archives Month. See the Governor Daugaard ‘s proclamation on the State Archives of the South Dakota State Historical Society website.