Mitchell historian Brad Tennant continues to educate the public about the history of the Northern Plains – Mitchell Republic

MITCHELL — Brad Tennant is stuck in the past.

In simple terms, this phrase can be a derogatory way of telling someone that they are old-fashioned or unwilling to accept the modern way of life. That they can’t or won’t let go of past successes or failures.

But in some ways, Tennant seems perfectly happy where he is. The former longtime college history professor spent more than four decades reading, writing and teaching the history of South Dakota and the Northern Plains. And recent transplant Mitchell was recently recognized for that work when he was named the 2024 Herb Blakely Award recipient at the West River Historical Conference.

“Yeah, I was surprised,” Tennant said. “I’m just at a loss for words because I’m the recipient. Because you look at some of the other people who have gotten it over time and I think, “Wow, I don’t feel worthy of being on the same list as a lot of these people.” But it’s nice that other people thought differently.”

The award recognizes a regional historian who has made outstanding contributions to local and regional history. He was presented with the award at the West River Historical Conference in Hill City earlier this month.

Tennant’s own history dates back to his time growing up in Gettysburg, where he developed an interest in local and regional history. He attended Upstate for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, where he studied secondary education, social studies and history. He later attended the University of North Dakota and the University of South Dakota, where he received a doctorate in history education.

A future teacher would be inspired by his college professors.

“I always had an interest in history as a child, and I had some very good professors back then. I think the same thing happens with a lot of people, with the teachers you have,” Tennant said.

He went on to teach at Aberdeen’s Roncalli University and then took a teaching position at Presentation College, Aberdeen, where he introduced his students to the rich history of the region.

And then Tennant, 63, found himself without a teaching home when Presentation College announced it would cease operations in 2023, leaving its students and staff with an uncertain future.

“They called us and said that it would start on such and such a date. And after you start, hand over the keys. So at that moment I was climbing. What am I going to do? So I applied for the job,” Tennant said.

Those job applications led him to Dakota Wesleyan University, where another history professor was on sabbatical, leaving a one-year teaching position open. Tennant took up the position, joining several Presentation College students on campus. Dakota Wesleyan founded

training agreement with Presentation College,

allowing displaced students who are currently without a school to more easily transfer to Mitchell School to continue their studies.

Now there was also a retired history professor, and Tennant headed south to Mitchell in what would eventually be his retirement.

“They gave me a year to just realize, OK, when I’m done, I’m done,” Tennant said, adding that he enjoyed his time at Dakota Wesleyan. – You’ve done enough.

It’s time for Tennant to take a step back and take some time for himself and his family. But even though he now had his own schedule, his interest in history remained strong.

Now a resident of Mitchell, Tennant makes good use of his free time by continuing to share this interest with the public through ongoing research, writing, and presentations. He works with various organizations, such as the South Dakota Humanities Council, with which he has been involved for several decades.

Tennant estimates that in just 2024, he has given about 21 presentations on regional history to local historical societies, book clubs, museums and other like-minded groups. These groups may have a specific area of ​​interest that interests them, and Tennant tries to cater to those areas. These stops include presentations in his new hometown, such as the Mitchell Public Library, Prehistoric Indian Village and Dakota Wesleyan.

When it comes to history, South Dakotans love to hear about South Dakota’s past.

“Lewis and Clark and the early fur trade have always been a big part of what I do. I think I gave this program five or six times last year. There are a lot of people who are interested in what Lewis and Clark did,” Tennant said.

Native American history is also popular, and Tennant especially enjoys covering the history of the Arikara tribe and their role in South Dakota history.

He also enjoys discussing lesser-known South Dakotans such as Ernest O. Lawrence. The Canton native and US graduate was a world-renowned physicist and colleague of Robert Oppenheimer, with whom he worked on the Manhattan Project. Lawrence also invented the cyclotron, a type of particle accelerator, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics. The element of the periodic table Laurence is named in his honor.

Lawrence is an example of how South Dakota or South Dakotans often influence events occurring outside its borders, such as the New Deal or the Cold War.

“Ernest became a very prominent figure. And later, after receiving the Nobel Prize, he participates in the Manhattan Project,” Tennant said. “From a historical perspective, South Dakota is part of a much bigger picture.”

Tennant and his wife Bridget now live at their own pace. They accepted their new home in Mitchell. They like to go hiking and traveling on weekends. She pursues her hobby of photography while he continues to book new gigs as it suits him.

He said after 41 years of working a teaching schedule, it’s nice to get out of the house and start living life on his own terms.

“We’re looking forward to spending a lot of time doing fun things,” Tennant said.

For those interested in watching one of Tennant’s presentations, the opportunity should be available soon. There will be another one in Mitchell in January, and another in May and September next year. For those who can’t wait that long, it might be worth picking up a copy of one of his books, such as On This Day in South Dakota History, which highlights historical events in South Dakota on every calendar day, including February 2019. 29.

It may be a pastime rather than a career now, but Tennant has no plans to give up telling his love story entirely. Just as he enjoys attending various history conferences with his peers and learning from them, he expects that others can discover a love of history by watching a presentation for themselves.

“You can’t help but leave to study. You’ll learn something,” Tennant said.