Identifier

MA 19

Dates

1887-2015

Extent

24.28 linear feet (43 document cases, 1 card file box, 5 oversize boxes)

Abstract

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (b. 1933) is a Lakota writer, educator, and historian, recognized for her contributions to Native American literature and cultural preservation. An enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, she was raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and pursued a career in education before transitioning to writing. Her literary career began in 1971 with the award-winning Jimmy Yellow Hawk, leading to a prolific body of work that includes fiction, non-fiction, historical studies, and children’s literature. Her impact on Indigenous representation in literature and education has been widely recognized, earning her numerous honors, including the National Humanities Medal, making her the first South Dakotan to receive this distinction.

The Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve Papers span from the 1960s to the 2020s, documenting her literary career, research, and advocacy. The collection includes manuscripts, research materials, correspondence, and published works, highlighting her dedication to Native American storytelling and cultural history. Works such as Completing the Circle, The Medicine Bag, Dancing Teepees, and Sioux Women are represented through drafts, reviews, and editorial notes. Additionally, the collection contains materials related to her speaking engagements, professional affiliations, and awards. A significant resource for scholars, educators, and researchers, these papers provide valuable insights into Indigenous narratives, representation, and the broader landscape of Native American literature.

Historical Note

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (s-navy) (b. February 21, 1933) is an acclaimed Lakota writer, educator, and historian, renowned for her contributions to Native American literature and cultural preservation. Raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, she is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She attended Bureau of Indian Affairs day schools and graduated from St. Mary's Episcopal High School for Indian Girls in Springfield, South Dakota, in 1950.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from South Dakota State University in 1954 and initially worked as an English and music teacher in White, SD, and later in Pierre, SD. After a period as a full-time homemaker raising three children, she resumed teaching in 1965 at Flandreau Indian School, where she taught English, speech, and drama before becoming a guidance counselor. In 1969, she obtained a Master of Education degree from South Dakota State University.

Sneve’s literary career began in 1971 when her manuscript Jimmy Yellow Hawk won a contest held by the Council on Interracial Books. Following this success, she secured a publishing contract with Holiday House, which published Jimmy Yellow Hawk and High Elk’s Treasure in 1972. Expanding into non-fiction, she edited South Dakota Geographic Names and authored The Dakota’s Heritage in 1973. Over the years, she has published widely, including a history of the Episcopal Church in South Dakota, as well as Completing the Circle (1995) and The First Americans Series, a historical series on Native American tribes.

Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the South Dakota Governor’s Award in the Arts for Distinction in Creative Achievement, the South Dakota Humanities Council Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities Award, and honorary doctorates from South Dakota State University and Dakota Wesleyan University. In 1996, she received the National Education Association’s Author/Illustrator Award, and in 2000, she became the first South Dakotan to receive the National Humanities Medal, presented by President Bill Clinton.

Sneve has been an influential voice in literary circles, speaking at literary festivals, International Reading Association events, the National Book Festival (2002), and the Native Writers Series at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (2005). With a prolific career spanning decade, she has authored fiction, non-fiction, short stories, articles, editorials, and book introductions, solidifying her legacy as a significant voice in Native American literature.

Content Notes

The Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve Papers document the literary career, research, and advocacy of the acclaimed Lakota writer, educator, and historian. Spanning from the 1960s to the 2020s, the collection includes manuscripts, correspondence, research materials, and published works that reflect her dedication to Native American storytelling and cultural preservation. It offers a comprehensive look at her contributions to literature, education, and Indigenous representation.

The Creative Writing series contains fiction and non-fiction works, including Completing the Circle, The Medicine Bag, Dancing Teepees, Standing Bear of the Ponca, and Sioux Women. Each work is accompanied by manuscripts, clippings, correspondence, research notes, printer’s galleys, proofs, reviews, and scripts. Many manuscripts include editorial annotations and suggested revisions. The correspondence primarily consists of letters between Sneve and publishers, as well as heartfelt messages from schoolchildren, some with drawings, thanking her for her books and school visits. Research materials include notes, collected documents, and recorded interviews. A video adaptation of High Elk’s Treasure is also part of the collection.

The General series includes awards, speaking engagements, clippings, interviews, journals, and research materials. Correspondence features exchanges with publishing houses, Senator Larry Pressler, and fellow writers such as Bob Karolevitz and Audrae Visser. Notably, the series contains an audio reel of an interview Sneve conducted with Harold Shunk, a Bureau of Indian Affairs superintendent. Other items include a 1901 class photograph and various teaching aids.

The Other Writings series highlights Sneve’s contributions beyond creative literature, including published articles, scripts for a South Dakota Public Radio series, Christian education resources for the Episcopal Church Center, newspaper editorials, studies for the Flandreau Indian School, and a contribution to On the Wings of Peace, a compilation benefiting world peace organizations.

This collection serves as a significant resource for researchers, scholars, and educators studying Indigenous literature, storytelling, and cultural history. It offers a valuable perspective on Native identity, advocacy, and representation, highlighting Sneve’s enduring impact on Native American literary and educational landscapes.

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Language

English

Publisher

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Rights

In Copyright: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copy-right Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, publicity, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permis-sions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.

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