Discover Inspiring Stories

Three historic houses and the pioneering South Dakotans who called them home. The Berdahl-Rolvaag House, Minnehaha County; the Pickler Mansion, Faulkton; and the Mellette House, Watertown.

On this episode of Dakota Life, travel the path of Custer's 1874 expedition to the Black Hills, see a wrangler's view of the Custer State Park buffalo roundup, learn about a gardening project aimed at beating diabetes on the Standing Rock Reservation, hear a green power success story from Aberdeen, and enjoy a holiday heritage meal, Scandinavian style.

Lawrence Welk was born to Russian immigrant parents in Strasburg, North Dakota, where he developed a strong work ethic and love for music on the family farmstead. After touring the midwest for years, he was scouted by ABC in 1955 to create the "The Lawrence Welk Show," which still runs on public television stations. This biographical documentary explores the life and legacy of Lawrence Welk.

This is the compelling story of a country's fear, a great sadness, and, ultimately, heroism. It is the story of the Japanese-Americans in the war years of the 1940's.

Before Lincoln Park was known for its multimillion-dollar homes, the neighborhood was the beating heart of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community, and the base of operations for a band of Puerto Rican revolutionaries known as the Young Lords. Audio-narrated descriptions of key visual elements are available.

A Stitch in Time follows the journey of America's oldest colonial militia flag, from the First Company of Bristol County Militia in the 1690s to the present day, as it undergoes delicate conservation under the eye of an expert textile conservator.

Passion for Snow highlights the role of people from Dartmouth College, Hanover NH and Northern New England in developing all aspects of the modern ski industry since 1910, including initiating early alpine ski racing to leading the 10th Mountain Division in WWII to creating the Olympics, most ski resorts and all aspects of the greater ski industry.

The history of the Montiers, a trailblazing Philadelphia family who were among the first African-American landowners in Pennsylvania.

From KUED comes a powerful five-part-series on the five American Indian Tribes of the Great Basin Region we now know as Utah. This episode examines the Paiute indigenous peoples that have called Utah home for centuries.

We explore the experiences of several Las Vegas veterans during the Vietnam War era. Their stories cover their enlistment, basic training, combat and the aftermath of their military experience.

Vegas PBS' "The Test" follows the development of the atomic bomb during the mid-1950s. Join us as we go behind the scenes to visit those small communities that were affected by nuclear fallout and reveal the turbulent struggles of Nevada’s Atomic backyard.

Discover the momentous events that defined the African American experience in Las Vegas throughout the Civil Rights era. These events altered the city’s history and changed thousands of lives. Our story introduces individuals who are connected to these events, and to each other.

A tall, sparking goddess from Paris. A small, flashy, desert town in the West. Las Vegas and its showgirl were an odd but perfect match. Theirs was a complicated relationship that helped lead Las Vegas to become the Entertainment Capital of the World. "The Showgirl: A Las Vegas Icon" reveals the Las Vegas showgirl’s fascinating story.

The story of the remarkable achievements of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the segregated all-female Women’s Army Corps deployed overseas during WWII. Tasked with organizing a huge backlog of undelivered mail intended for U.S. soldiers, the women, nicknamed the "Six Triple Eight," worked tirelessly in challenging conditions to ensure that millions of letters reached the frontlines.

In the Spring of 1962, a group of students from Miles College created and launched a “Selective Buying Campaign” to boycott Birmingham’s downtown merchants. Their success paved the way for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the SCLC to choose Birmingham for action in 1963.

Narrated by Raiatea Helm, this PBS Hawai‘i documentary uncovers Hawaiʻi’s deep, global impact on modern music despite the political struggles they faced at home.

This lesson plan explores how the reintroduction of buffalo to the Native peoples helps them reclaim their identity, culture, and traditions. Tribes have an inherent right to reintroduce and manage buffalo on their reservations to preserve their way of life.

Your students will learn about winter counts, which are a pictographic record of historical events for a tiospaye (community). Many Plains Indians used the winter count to preserve history. Significant events are recorded for future generations. During this lesson, your students will create a class winter count, learn about nature dyes, and compare their drawings to original images.

HOMEFRONT: SOUTH DAKOTA STORIES is a World War II oral history collection that follows the theme of “What was it like for you?” WWII Veterans shared their stories with us, and we are honored to share them with you.

In this lesson plan, your students will learn about how the Japanese military sent thousands of large balloons toward the United States during WWII. They used air currents to move the balloons from Japan to the shores of the United States. The balloons carried bombs and fire-starting devices. Your students will learn about one such device found in rural South Dakota.