1. In 1935, the Black Hills Ordnance Depot was established in South Dakota. It became a major military installation during World War II and was later renamed the Fort Meade Army Base.

2. On April 17, 1973, several American Indian Movement leaders surrendered to authorities after a 71-day standoff at Wounded Knee. The occupation was a protest against the federal government's treatment of Native American communities.

3. In 2011, the National Park Service opened the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site near Wall, South Dakota. The site preserves the history of the Cold War-era missile facilities that were once prominent in the state.

4. On April 17, 1942, the U.S. Army Air Corps established the Rapid City Army Air Base (now Ellsworth Air Force Base). The base played a crucial role in World War II and remains an active military installation today.

5. South Dakota native Tom Brokaw, longtime anchor of NBC's Nightly News, was born on April 17, 1940, in Webster, South Dakota. Brokaw has been a prominent journalist and author throughout his career, covering major events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the September 11 attacks.