Dakota State University will host its sixth annual History and Ethics Forum Monday, September 14th.

Historian Dr. Jon Lauck will present “Findings and Foundings: The Search for Roots in a Placeless Age.”

The presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Beacom Institute of Technology, with a hors d’oeuvres reception starting at 6.

Lauck will discuss how understanding the history of the Midwest, and South Dakota in particular, can help people better understand their communities and encourage civic involvement.

He will also highlight efforts like the Dakota Territorial Papers Project, which uses digitization and artificial intelligence to make South Dakota’s territorial history more accessible.

Lauck is the executive director of the Center for Western Studies at Augustana University and has authored or edited more than 30 books on Midwestern history.

The event is free and open to the public.