1. Juneteenth was only recently recognized as a holiday in South Dakota. In 2021, the state officially declared June 19 as Juneteenth National Freedom Day, becoming one of the many states to recognize this day as a way to honor African American freedom and achievement.

2. On June 19, 1876, Lt. Colonel George Custer and his troops were defeated by the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This historic battle is often referred to as "Custer's Last Stand" because it resulted in the death of Custer and approximately 268 men under his command.

3. In 1929, President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill authorizing the carving of Mount Rushmore. The monument features the faces of four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, and is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

4. On June 19, 1932, South Dakota native and aviation pioneer Clyde Pangborn became the first person to fly non-stop across the Pacific Ocean. He flew from Sabishiro Beach, Japan, to Wenatchee, Washington, in just over 41 hours, a feat that earned him international recognition and admiration.

5. In 1983, South Dakota became the first state in the country to pass a comprehensive nuclear waste management law. The law established strict regulations for the handling, transportation, and disposal of nuclear waste, and helped establish South Dakota as a leader in nuclear waste management and energy production.