A photo display in the Jay D. Vogt Education Room of the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre highlights South Dakota women in honor of Women’s History Month. March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation to celebrate women’s contributions to American history.
The 10 photographs were selected from images available in the South Dakota Digital Archives. A few of the photos include a portrait of an unidentified American Indian woman, Della Todd in a racecar, Alice A. Tollefson campaigning in Spink County in 1910, and Mabel Strickland at a rodeo in Belle Fourche.
The digitized photographs in the display are part of the online database of historical content available at the South Dakota Digital Archives, including land survey records, manuscripts, government records, and more than 69,000 photographs. The display will be available through March 31, 2021.
State Archivist Chelle Somsen said, “The photographs are one example of the wide variety of women’s collections available at the State Archives and a perfect way to highlight the importance of women’s contributions to South Dakota during Women’s History Month.”
In addition to photographs, the South Dakota State Historical Society-Archives has many women’s collections including correspondence, diaries, and organizational records that document the significant contributions women have made in South Dakota.
Visit the State Archives website at history.sd.gov/archives and check out the “Digital Collections” link for more online resources. Public access to the photo display in the Jay D. Vogt Education Room may be limited by meetings or events previously scheduled. Call ahead at 605-773-3458 to access the display. For information on membership in the State Historical Society, visit history.sd.gov/membership or call 605-773-6000.
Editor’s Note: Possible cutline –This undated photograph shows a group of cowgirls near Pierre. This photo is also viewable online at the South Dakota Digital Archives. (Photo courtesy South Dakota State Historical Society-Archives)
About the South Dakota State Historical Society
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution since 2013, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing, and administrative/development offices. Call 605-773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.
