ABERDEEN, S.D. –The NSU Beulah Williams Library will be unveiling the William H. Daly Exhibit, an NSU Undergraduate Research Grant project created by Northern student Darcy Usher.

The opening reception for “William H. Daly: The Country Boy, The Soldier, The National Promoter” 

will be held Thursday, Feb. 7, starting at 6:30 p.m. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Usher is a junior majoring in history with a minor in public history, and worked as an archivist in the Beulah Williams Library where she initially discovered the subject of her Undergraduate Research Grant project.

Usher was going through the library’s South Dakota National Guard collection when she came across Daly’s folder. 

“I’m a sucker for a good story, and I couldn’t believe nobody had ever heard of him before,” said Usher.

She quickly learned he was in Pearl Harbor a week before it was bombed. He later lost an arm during WWII but still came back to Northern and played basketball. He also started the public relations branch at Northern as a student, and after college he went on to partner with Lawrence Welk and became his national promoter.

After researching and crafting the best way to tell Daly’s tale, Usher will bring this incredible story to the public with her project. 

About Northern State University

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.