Welcome
This website is a project of the Oscar Howe Memorial Association at The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, and is hosted through the USD Foundation on behalf of the Howe family. The site is under development, and we ask for your patience as well as your constructive suggestions as we move ahead.
It is our goal to develop a comprehensive website on the art and life of the internationally acclaimed Yanktonais Sioux artist, Oscar Howe, by offering authoritative information, access to a gallery of his art work, and the opportunity to exchange ideas, information, and questions about the artist.
By virtue of Howe’s 26-year association with The University of South Dakota, the institution owns the largest single collection of the artist’s work, selections of which are exhibited in the university’s Oscar Howe Gallery. The I.D. Weeks Library on the USD campus is the repository for the official Oscar Howe Archives established by the Howe family.
Oscar Howe joined the USD faculty in 1957, soon after the South Dakota legislature created the Institute of American Indian Studies at USD. Early in his university career, Howe worked as an assistant director of the campus’ W.H. Over State Museum and was a member of the Institute of American Indian Studies staff in addition to teaching. Recognizing the artist’s growing reputation, the university named him Artist-In-Residence, a unique position that he held until his retirement in 1980.
In addition to the prestige Howe brought USD, the institution benefited from the policy of acquiring a number of his paintings each year as part of his obligation as Artist-In-Residence. By the early 1960s, the Oscar Howe Gallery was established to share the institution’s growing collection of the artist’s work with the general public. Over the years the core collection has been greatly enhanced by many donations of Howe art work and occasional purchases. Today, the Oscar Howe Gallery is located in the Old Main building in the heart of the University of South Dakota campus.
The University of South Dakota takes its responsibility to Oscar Howe’s legacy very seriously and, in addition to its Howe Collection and gallery, it supports a number of projects to promote contemporary Native American art. The university is especially proud of the Oscar Howe Summer Art Institute for young Indian artists.
Thank you.
John A. Day, Director
The Oscar Howe Memorial Association and
Curator of the USD Oscar Howe Collection
