BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections announced a new initiative to preserve and share a significant piece of the state’s history, thanks to a grant from the Mary Chilton Daughters of the American Revolution Foundation. The grant will allow for the digitization of 35 rare 16mm films from the collection of Ben Reifel, South Dakota’s only Native American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and the first Lakota member of Congress.
The films, which were showing signs of degradation and were previously inaccessible, will be cleaned, preserved, and digitized by Archiving Life Media. Following this process, the SDSU Archives will create metadata and upload the materials to YouTube, making them available to historians, educators, and the public.
The collection provides valuable insight into Reifel’s life and work, including campaign messages, public statements, visits to communities across South Dakota, and interactions with national figures like President Richard Nixon. The footage offers a firsthand look at a statesman who championed agricultural development, Indigenous education, and civil rights.
Born in 1906 on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, Reifel’s life of public service included a career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, service in the U.S. Army during World War II, and earning master’s and doctorate degrees from Harvard University. Serving in Congress from 1961 to 1971, he helped shape key legislation, supported the establishment of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, and was instrumental in bringing the Earth Resources Observation and Science Center to South Dakota.
According to SDSU Archivist Michele Christian, the digitized films will illuminate the political landscape of the mid-20th century and offer significant insights into a South Dakotan’s role in shaping national policies. The effort ensures that Reifel’s remarkable story continues to educate and inspire future generations.
