Become a partner
Countdown to 250

South Dakota is part of America 250, a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary of our country. The multi-year effort, from now through July 4, 2026, is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation's past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.


PROGRAMS/EVENTS

To view America's 250th South Dakota events and activities, visit our Historical Society events calendar.
Filter by Event Category and select America's 250th. Events will be added as the Semiquincentennial approaches, so check back often.

stock photo of walking shoes

Walk 250 Miles
by 2026

Sponsored by the Department of
Game, Fish, and Parks, this program
encourages South Dakotans to track their
miles as they walk through the varied landscapes of South Dakota.

Prizes will be awarded to participants completing 250 miles by July 4, 2026.

Reading Adventure Through America's History.

A Reading Adventure Through America's History

The South Dakota State Library invites you
to expand your mind as we celebrate our nation's 250th Birthday. Join us for a
self-paced, self-reported reading celebration
for all ages. You can achieve reading
milestones, read a title from our challenges,
or just enjoy reading.

The adventure starts in Jan. 2024.


Historic image of newspaper headline

A "Proving Up" Event: The Indian Citizenship Act Fall 2024

America's 250th Commission and the University of South Dakota's Institute of American Indian Studies are hosting a Round Table on the 100th Anniversary of the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act. The event is open to the public and will be held at 4pm on Wednesday, the 13th of November at Farber Hall on the campus of the University of South Dakota. A reception will follow the event. Passed by Congress and signed by President Calvin Coolidge in June of 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act conferred citizenship on all American Indians. But what did it mean for their lives and for tribal governments? What did it mean for enrolled tribal members in South Dakota?

The Roundtable speakers are:
Trudell Guerue
former Chief Justice of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe

Frank Pommersheim
Professor Emeritus of the
Knudson School of Law, USD

Christina Stanciu
Director of the Humanities Research Center at the Virginia Commonwealth University

Francis Whitebird
Former Secretary of Tribal Relations and enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe

Ann Tweedy
Professor of Law at the Knudson School of Law,
will serve as the panel chair.


The America's 250th Commission is co-sponsoring this event as part of their efforts to explore how the ideals in the Declaration of Independence have been lived out since 1776. The effort is part of the nation's commemoration and celebration of its 250th birthday in 2026.







BE A PARTNER IN
SD'S AMERICA'S 250TH

As we approach 2026, we expect communities and organizations
across South Dakota to find unique ways to celebrate our nation's
birth and long, storied history. Learn how you can become a partner
in the state's celebrations.




CONNECT WITH THE COUNTRY

Want to know more about what's happening across the country?
Visit the official website of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.
From the America's Stories project to the latest news from the national perspective, visit america250.org.

America's Stories. Link.


Contact Us

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