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BROOKINGS — The Brookings Human Rights Commission has announced its 2025 Mayor’s Awards recipients.

Van Fishback will receive the 26th annual Dorothy and Eugene T. Butler Human Rights Award in recognition of his support for numerous Native American reconciliation projects.

Thomas Reynolds will receive the Youth Award for his vision, advocacy and leadership that prompted the City of Brookings to name a street in Pioneer Park in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The awards will be presented by Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer and the Brookings Human Rights Commission at the annual Mayor’s Awards and Holiday Celebration event on Dec. 3 at the Dacotah Bank Center, 824 32nd Ave. The event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. with the awards program starting at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Van Fishback (Dorothy and Eugene T. Butler Human Rights Award)

The Dorothy and Eugene T. Butler Human Rights Award is named after the Butlers in recognition of their lifelong advocacy in human rights issues on the local, regional, national, and international levels. The award recognizes significant volunteer effort on behalf of human rights.

The late Gov. George S. Mickelson, formerly of Brookings, declared 1990 a “Year of Reconciliation” to foster understanding and address historical conflicts between Native Americans and non-Native citizens in South Dakota.

Following the Year of Reconciliation, Fishback was involved in the creation of the Brookings Reconciliation Council. He provided extensive support to the Council, including serving on the executive committee.

Starting in 1993, Fishback provided support for the annual Oak Lake Retreat for Tribal Writers. After the writers created the Oceti Sakowin Writers Society, he provided logistical and administrative support for many years. He also was instrumental in the creation of a documentary about the Writers Society by his filmmaker sons. The film has proved to be invaluable in preserving the Society’s history and in calling attention to its work.

Additional projects Fishback has been involved in include:

“Van’s impact in regard to human rights has been invaluable in many ways, and hundreds and perhaps thousands of deserving people have benefited from it,” said Charles Woodard, a key leader in starting the Oak Lake Writers Society.

Woodard, a distinguished professor emeritus of English at SDSU, said the Oceti Sakowin Writers Society continues to grow and create important American Indian Studies texts and is increasingly influential on the national level.

Craig Howe, founder and director of CAIRNS, said: “Van is a dedicated advocate for Native peoples and communities. A lot of the work he does is behind the scenes and under the radar. He carries out most of it without fanfare and often without recognition.”

Thomas Reynolds (Youth Award)

The Youth Award is presented to an individual or a group of local youth who promote and/or contribute to human rights in the Brookings area and abroad.

An SDSU student who grew up in Brookings, Reynolds was inspired by a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April 1968.

After visiting the museum, Reynolds learned that South Dakota was one of nine remaining states without a street named in honor of King.

Reynolds devised a meaningful tribute that would reaffirm Brookings’ commitment to the values of justice and equality that Dr. King championed.

He worked to garner enthusiastic support from the Brookings and university communities. He presented a formal proposal to the city’s Park and Recreation Advisory Board, asking for the road in Pioneer Park to be named in recognition of Dr. King’s role as a pioneer of civil rights. The Board recommended the proposal to the City Council for consideration.

Following a compelling presentation by Reynolds and his supporters, the City Council unanimously approved the proposal in December 2024. In February, Brookings dedicated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way, the first street in South Dakota to be named after the civil rights leader. South Dakota became the 42nd state to name a street after King.

Reynolds’ leadership not only brought lasting recognition to Dr. King’s legacy, but also strengthened Brookings’ reputation as a community that values courage, compassion and inclusivity.