Bob Lee Papers

Robert H. “Bob” Lee (1920-2005) was journalist, historian, and author. He was born May 28, 1920, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His career in journalism began in Minneapolis and continued with his service in World War II when, after being awarded a Bronze Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge, he transferred the staff of Stars and Stripes. After the war, he worked for the Minneapolis Star-Journal before moving to South Dakota in the fall of 1946 to work for the Rapid City Journal. In 1948 he was adopted into the Oglala Lakota tribe for his accurate coverage of reservation affairs and given the name “Owa-tonia-wawa” which translates to “Writes Straight.” In 1955, he became administrative assistant and press secretary to then South Dakota Governor Joe Foss. His next endeavor was as vice president and editor of Black Hills Publishers, Inc., working on the Sturgis Tribune, Black Hills Press, and Tri-State Livestock News, from 1959 until his retirement in 1986. In addition to his extensive newspaper writing, he authored, co-authored, and edited a number of books including: Fort Meade and the Black Hills; Gold, Guns, Guts: The Centennial History of Lawrence County; Fort Meade: The Peace Keeper Post on the Dakota Frontier; The Black Hills after Custer; Bob Lee’s Black Hills Notebook; and Last Grass Frontier: The South Dakota Stock grower Heritage, Vol. I. He also wrote a play, “The Court Martial of Major Marcus A. Reno,” which was performed in Sturgis, South Dakota. He was involved in many organizations, including but not limited to the South Dakota State Historical Society, Society of Black Hills Pioneers, Society for Rapid City Genealogical Research, Black Hills Press Association, South Dakota Heritage Fund, Field Historian for the Leland D. Case Library at Black Hills State University, National Advisory Board of the Center for Western Studies at Augustana College, Black Hills Corral of the Westerners, Lawrence County Historical Society, South Dakota Bicentennial Commission, and South Dakota Centennial Steering Committee. Bob Lee was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame for the field of Communications in 1987 and received many regional and national awards throughout his career. Bob Lee passed away at the age of 85, on November 12, 2005; he is interred in Black Hills National Cemetery, approximately five miles from Fort Meade.