BROOKINGS, S.D. (9-29-26) — The South Dakota Art Museum, in partnership with the Black Student Alliance, will welcome Ashley Howard, assistant professor of history at the University of Iowa, for “Portraits of the Black Midwest an evening presentation and community dialogue on Thursday, Oct. 1.
The event on the South Dakota State University campus is free and open to the public.
Presented in connection with the museum’s current exhibition “America in Art,” the program invites audiences to explore Black Midwestern histories and their connections to race, class, gender and visual arts. Following the presentation, audience members will be invited to participate in the conversation through questions and comments.
Refreshments will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the program starting promptly at 6:30 p.m. in the South Dakota Art Museum auditorium, 1036 Medary Ave., Brookings.
“America in Art,” on view through Jan. 2, 2027, marks 250 years of the United States. The exhibition considers the promise and paradox of the nation’s legacy while exploring the ideals, struggles, freedoms and contradictions that define it.
Support for “America in Art” and related programming is provided by David and Patricia Meyer; Arthur Primas; SDSU’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Art Bridges; National Endowment for the Arts; South Dakota Arts Council; Carol E. and Alan R. Bender Endowment; Jack Stengel; Pamela and Merritt Warren; Fantle Endowment; Barbara B. and Van D. Fishback; Nancy Lyons; Liz Rezek; and Marlys Thompson.
“Portraits of the Black Midwest” is free and open to the public. Generous support for this project provided by Art Bridges.
For more information, contact the South Dakota Art Museum at 605-688-5423 or visit SouthDakotaArtMuseum.com.
About South Dakota State University
Founded in 1881, South Dakota State University is the state’s Morrill Act land-grant institution as well as its largest, most comprehensive school of higher education. SDSU confers degrees from seven different colleges representing more than 230 majors, minors and specializations. The institution also offers 39 master’s degree programs, 17 Ph.D. and two professional programs.
The work of the university is carried out on a residential campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre and Rapid City, and through Extension offices and Agricultural Experiment Station research sites across the state. SDSU’s research expenditures for the 2025 fiscal year were more than $94 million. SDSU has a Doctoral University: High Research Activity designation on The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
For more information: SDSU News • www.sdstate.edu
— From SDSU University Marketing and Communications
