Thomas Short Bull
Thomas Short Bull | |
|---|---|
| Member of the South Dakota Senate | |
| In office 1983–1988 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 4, 1946 Igloo, South Dakota |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Darlene |
| Children | three, including Vanessa Short Bull |
| Residence | Pine Ridge, South Dakota |
| Alma mater | University of South Dakota |
| Profession | College Instructor |
Thomas E. Short Bull (born December 4, 1946) is an American former politician and former president of Oglala Lakota College. He served in the South Dakota Senate from 1983 to 1988.[1][2] He is Oglala Lakota.[3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Short Bull was born in Igloo, South Dakota, an army munitions depot. He is the oldest of 10 children.[5]
He received a Bachelor of Science in Government from the University of South Dakota (USD) in 1970 a Master of Public Administration from USD in 1973.[5][6]
Career
[edit]Short Bull served his first session as the president of Oglala Lakota College (OLC), then a community college, from 1975 to 1979.[7]
In 1982, Short Bull was elected to the South Dakota Senate, the first Native American in the position.[4][8] He was the first state senator to represent District 27, a district created in 1981 under the Voting Rights Act, which required South Dakota to draw a voting district with a majority of Native Americans.[9]
In 1995, Short Bull began a second presidency at OLC, which received accreditation as a four-year university in 1983.[10] During Short Bull's presidencies, OLC established a new library, historical center, housing units, and administrative headquarters building.[7]
He retired on July 9, 2022.[7]
Awards
[edit]Short Bull was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2017 for his improvements of OLC.[5][9]
Personal life
[edit]Short Bull is married to Darlene Short Bull (née Janis). They have three children, Paul, Vanessa, and Frank.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "South Dakota Legislature".
- ^ Legislature, South Dakota (1987). "South Dakota Legislative Manual".
- ^ Emogene Paulson, T.; Moses, Lloyd R. (1988). "Who's who Among the Sioux".
- ^ a b ICT (2021-03-31). "A half century dedicated to education". ICT News. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ a b c "Tom Shortbull - SD Hall of Fame Programs". sdexcellence.org. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ Caufield, Clara (2022-01-25). "Tom Shortbull: Looking back | Cannon Ball, North Dakota". unitedresourceconnection.org. Native Sun News. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ a b c Pourier, Marilyn (2022-01-14). "Longtime OLC President Thomas Shortbull to Retire". Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ McDonald, Laughlin. "The Voting Rights Act in Indian Country: South Dakota, A Case Study". American Indian Law Review. 29 (1) – via University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons.
- ^ a b c TCJ (2017-05-12). "Thomas Shortbull, President of Oglala Lakota College, to Be Inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame". Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ "Rebulding Lakota Nation through Education". South Dakota Public Broadcasting. 2014-10-02. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- 1946 births
- Living people
- People from Fall River County, South Dakota
- University of South Dakota alumni
- Democratic Party members of the South Dakota House of Representatives
- Democratic Party South Dakota state senators
- People from Pine Ridge, South Dakota
- 20th-century members of the South Dakota Legislature