While May 8th, 1973 is the day in South Dakota history the wounded knee occupation ended, it is also the day in 2015 President Barack Obama gave the commencement address at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown. The visit made Obama the fourth president to visit all 50 states. Others have been Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush.
The President began his address by saying, “I am thrilled to be here. I have now been to all 50 States as president and was saving the best for last. To the other 49, I hope you take no offense."
Obama said, “Why would I come to a 2-year college in the fifth-biggest city in South Dakota? Well, the reason is that I believe that there are few institutions that are more important to America's economic future than community colleges. And there are few community colleges that are as important as Lake Area Tech. Lake Area's graduation rate is over three times the national average. And Lake Area is one of only two community colleges in the country that made the top 10 every year for the Aspen Prize, the top award for Community Colleges."
In his closing, Obama cited former Vice President Hubert Humphrey, born nearby in Wallace, South Dakota, and what made his American story possible. "The road to freedom," he said, "here and everywhere on Earth, begins in the classroom. So, class of 2015, you have earned the chance to walk the road to freedom and to make of your lives what you will, to write that next great chapter in our American story.”
With a stay of just over 2 hours, President Obama concluded his visit to the state with Air Force One lifting off from Watertown on May 8, 2015.
Production help is provided by Doctor Brad Tennant, Professor of History at Presentation College.