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Dakota Datebook
6:42 am, 8:42 am, 3:50 pm, 5:44 pm, and 7:50 pm CT

Sitting Bull to Phil Jackson, cattle to prairie dogs, knoephla to lefse. North Dakota's legacy includes many strange stories of eccentric towns, war heroes, and various colorful characters. Hear all about them on Dakota Datebook, your daily dose of North Dakota history.

Dakota Datebook is made in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and funded by Humanities North Dakota, a nonprofit, independent state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities North Dakota or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

You can find all Dakota Datebooks from 2018-today below. Our archive of Datebooks from 2003-2017 can be found here.

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  • World War I caused turmoil in the United States even before America was involved. Some supported involvement, others objected, some just wanted to stay out of the war, and others left the country to support the fight. The United States would formally enter the conflict on April 4th, 1917. However, the months leading up to this momentous event were not devoid of discussion and preparation for military action.
  • On this date in 1934, the Bottineau Courant announced to its readers that the community senior men’s hockey team, The Bottineau Flyers, had won their first North Dakota Amateur Hockey League state championship.
  • Section three of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution is perhaps best known for the restrictions it places on who is qualified to be President. But there are four other sections in the Amendment, and one of them directly relates to North Dakota railroads.
  • It was in 1914 that the first official state basketball tournament was played in North Dakota. All participating schools played in one class. The champions from four districts went on to the state championship. The Fargo team won that very first tournament in games played in Fargo at the North Dakota Agricultural College.
  • In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Dr. Twyla Baker, enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, in part two of "We Laugh So We Don't Cry."
  • North Dakota is home to over 400 bird species, but the honor of being the state bird goes to only one. On this date in 1947, the North Dakota legislature chose the western meadowlark, which actually isn’t a lark. It is a songbird in the same family as blackbirds and orioles.
  • By the turn the 20th century, recognizing the valuable social work women offered, civic groups and municipalities began considering them as police officers. Initially, they worked with delinquent women and to enhance community morality.
  • It’s a long way from Norway to Kindred, ND, yet deep connections between the two locations still remain. The key link involved the Hertsgaard family.
  • Today marks the anniversary of one of the most memorable basketball games in North Dakota history as the Hillsboro Burros took on the Epping Eagles for the 1977 State Class B championship.
  • In this episode of Dakota Datebook, we'll listen to Dr. Twyla Baker, enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, in part one of "We Laugh So We Don't Cry."

Dakota Datebook is made in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota, and funded by Humanities North Dakota, a nonprofit, independent state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities North Dakota or the National Endowment for the Humanities.