Preserving Language for Generations to Come with James Emery

South Dakota Hall of Fame Legacy Podcast

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.

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