Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe member named 2021 Crazy Horse Memorial® Educator of the Year

Each year on Native Americans’ Day, Crazy Horse Memorial honors a worthy educator with the award of Educator of the Year. This year’s recipient is Jace DeCory.

DeCory is a Professor Emeritus of Black Hills State University where she taught for over 30 years. The Center for American Indian Studies on the BHSU campus is dedicated in her honor. She continues to serve and teach students, including the students who study at The Indian University of North America at Crazy Horse Memorial.

DeCory is Lakota from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and has connections throughout the Oceti Sakowin. She received her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of North Dakota where she helped start the American Indian Studies major. She also taught and helped develop curriculum at Turtle Mountain Community College in North Dakota. DeCory received her Master’s degree in Education from South Dakota State University and she pursued doctoral students at the University of Washington.