One of the most important keys to South Dakota community is in recognizing the multitude of cultures that exist in the state. Though he hails from Haslemere, England, Paul Goble has been celebrating South Dakota Native American culture since the late 1950s. During a trip to America in 1959, Goble became an adopted member of the Yakima and Sioux tribes, inducted by Chief Edgar Red Cloud. In 1969, the artist/illustrator published Red Hawk’s Account of Custer’s Last Battle, which brought a new perspective to history by showing a Native American perspective on the event.Since 1969, not more than a few years have gone by without Goble releasing a new book, the most recent being The Boy & His Mud Horses published in 2010 by World Wisdom. The book brings Goble’s beautiful painted illustrations to a variety of Great Plains legends and tall tales. All of Goble’s pages portray Native American culture realistically and honestly, and over the years he’s received several widespread acclaim for his contributions to children’s books. Most notably, he received the 1979 Caldecott Medal for The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Goble’s paintings have been recognized in the fine art world, as wellhe has two pieces at the Museum of Nebraska Art.Goble’s connection to the Great Plains region is so strong that he moved there in 1977, living first in Lincoln, Nebraska and then in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he still resides. His story is proof that building bridges between cultures is never impossible, even if they start out across the ocean from one another. His books are testaments to human kindness and the importance of history. More importantly, they’re beautiful stories, no matter what the age of the reader.