USD Knudson School of Law adds tribal flags in courtroom

VERMILLION, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – For many students and graduates at the University of South Dakota, the Knudson School of Law is a home away from home. But for some time now, that home has been missing something; representation of all who call it home.

In a ceremony at the school, the flags of all nine tribes of South Dakota were added to the building’s courtroom. The move was inspired by graduate Maranda Herman, who Dean Neil Fulton said first approached the school of adding the flag of the Oglala Lakota Tribe in addition to the United States and South Dakota flags, already hanging in the courtroom.

“As Maranda described what it would mean for her law school to display the flag of her tribe, I realized that our home was incomplete. It did not reflect all the judges, lawyers and people of South Dakota,” Fulton said.

Fulton said the school decided to add all nine to pay tribute to all who come through the school’s classrooms, and recognize all of the work that the state’s tribal courts do to help uphold justice in South Dakota.

“To Maranda for opening my eyes to how we should be better, thank you. To all of our tribal communities for not seeing that sooner, I’m sorry,.” Fulton said.

The move was praised by past graduates and current students alike, saying that South Dakota’s history is still being written.

“It might get old to some, but we are still here, yet we are much more than that. We are still here, and we are pushing beyond the boundaries that were put in front of us. We are still here, and we are scholars, we are doctors, we are attorneys,” USD Native American Law Student Association President Marilyn Allen said.

Going forward, the school hopes that the addition of the flags will show that South Dakota isn’t just the home of one people with one justice system, but of many.

Copyright 2023 KSFY. All rights reserved.