South Dakota Hall of Fame Legacy Podcast

Preserving Language for Generations to Come with James Emery

April 13, 2023 South Dakota Hall of Fame Episode 52
Preserving Language for Generations to Come with James Emery
South Dakota Hall of Fame Legacy Podcast
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South Dakota Hall of Fame Legacy Podcast
Preserving Language for Generations to Come with James Emery
Apr 13, 2023 Episode 52
South Dakota Hall of Fame

James ​​Emery was a humble man who overcame challenges in his life to forge a better future for his community. He was born on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in 1904, at a time when speaking the Lakota language was discouraged. One of Emery’s greatest contributions in life was saving his native language. Our host, Miles Beacom joined David Emery, James Emery’s grandson, to discuss his grandfather’s legacy.

In this episode you will hear:

  • James Emery’s early life
  • His passion for preserving the Lakota language,
  • And more about the Emery Lakota Language Collection


James combined his natural gifts, and great creativity, to begin a project that spanned several decades. This project resulted in over three hundred hours of recordings of the culture, history, language, and songs of Native Americans, including an interview with the daughter of  Walks Alone, a survivor of both The Battle of the Little Bighorn and Wounded Knee.

Follow us for more stories of Dream Chasers at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SDhalloffame

Instagram: @sdhalloffame

Website: www.sdhalloffame.org

Show Notes

James ​​Emery was a humble man who overcame challenges in his life to forge a better future for his community. He was born on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in 1904, at a time when speaking the Lakota language was discouraged. One of Emery’s greatest contributions in life was saving his native language. Our host, Miles Beacom joined David Emery, James Emery’s grandson, to discuss his grandfather’s legacy.

In this episode you will hear:

  • James Emery’s early life
  • His passion for preserving the Lakota language,
  • And more about the Emery Lakota Language Collection


James combined his natural gifts, and great creativity, to begin a project that spanned several decades. This project resulted in over three hundred hours of recordings of the culture, history, language, and songs of Native Americans, including an interview with the daughter of  Walks Alone, a survivor of both The Battle of the Little Bighorn and Wounded Knee.

Follow us for more stories of Dream Chasers at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SDhalloffame

Instagram: @sdhalloffame

Website: www.sdhalloffame.org