Empowering Culture: SDHC Secures $200K to Fuel South Dakota’s Humanities Legacy

We are excited to announce that the South Dakota Humanities Council (SDHC) has successfully raised $200,000 to support its vital mission of delivering humanities programming across South Dakota. Founded in 1972 in response to an act of Congress, SDHC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization uniquely dedicated to promoting and celebrating the humanities throughout the state. As the only cultural organization solely focused on humanities in South Dakota, SDHC has long been a beacon of literary and civic engagement. This new investment will directly enhance our ability to support public programs, grant funding for local community initiatives, and critical research and discussion projects—efforts that forge meaningful conversations about our society, history, and shared experiences. The funds will also bolster our ongoing commitment to the South Dakota Center for the Book, a program established by the Library of Congress in 2002, which has inspired numerous reading and literacy initiatives as well as the popular annual Festival of Books. Our vision to lead statewide advocacy in the humanities is stronger than ever, and we are eager to use this funding to create more opportunities for cultural enrichment and education. By amplifying the celebration of literature and promoting robust civil conversations, the South Dakota Humanities Council continues to tell the stories that define our state. This funding milestone enables us to further our work with local communities and partners, ensuring that the humanities remain a vibrant and integral piece of South Dakota’s cultural life for generations to come.