Background
Nancy Tystad Koupal was born on November 13, 1947, in Mitchell, South Dakota, United States. She is a daughter of Milo S. Tystad and Mary Coyne Tystad.
Brookings, South Dakota 57007, United States
In 1969, Nancy graduated from South Dakota State University with Bachelor of Arts degree.
150 University Blvd., Morehead, KY 40351, United States
In 1972, Koupal received a Master of Arts degree from Morehead State University.
Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
In 1974, Koupal obtained her Doctor of Philosophy degree in American literature and English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Nancy Tystad Koupal with Pamela Smith Hill.
(L. Frank Baum historian Nancy Tystad Koupal delves into t...)
L. Frank Baum historian Nancy Tystad Koupal delves into the true meaning of Baum's "The Wizard of Oz", refuting old ideas of Populist allegory, while establishing a new paradigm for considering this most famous piece of American children's literature.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B4CF6C0/?tag=2022091-20
2013
Nancy Tystad Koupal was born on November 13, 1947, in Mitchell, South Dakota, United States. She is a daughter of Milo S. Tystad and Mary Coyne Tystad.
In 1969, Nancy graduated from South Dakota State University with Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued her education at Morehead State University and received Master of Arts degree in 1972. Two years later, in 1974, Koupal obtained her Doctor of Philosophy degree in American literature and English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
In 1971, Nancy started to work as a teacher of composition at Morehead State University, a post she held till 1972 when she was appointed a teacher of American literature at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Koupal remained there until 1974.
Between 1975-1978, she held a post of a writer and editor at South Dakota Department of Social Services. In 1978, Nancy started to work as a library technician at South Dakota State Library.
In 1979, Koupal began working for the South Dakota State Historical Society as an editor of its quarterly journal, entitled "South Dakota History". Her first priority was to make the relatively new publication truly professional in content and format. At that time, Koupal believed, that South Dakotans deserved nothing less, than a first-rate publication, that carried carefully researched, well-written articles on important aspects of the state’s history. To help achieve that goal, she utilized an editorial board, that included nationally recognized historians, such as Howard Lamar of Yale University, whose excellent history of Dakota Territory is still a standard work.
During the time of Nancy's tenure as an editor of "South Dakota History", the journal published noteworthy articles on American Indians, agriculture, politics, and women, in addition to pioneer memoirs and biographies of distinguished individuals, all of them adhering to high professional standards.
Koupal also worked to present history in an attractive format, using color on the journal's covers, increasing the number of illustrations, and instituting new features, such as "Dakota Resources", which highlights little-known manuscript collections and other resources of value to researchers. Thanks to these efforts, "South Dakota History" has received regional and national attention.
In 1997, Nancy founded the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. By 2003, the press had become publishing several new titles each year in addition to reprinting valuable out-of-print volumes, such as Herbert S. Schell’s "History of South Dakota".
Over the years, Koupal provided leadership in many professional organizations. She served on the governing councils of the Western History Association, the Northern Great Plains History Conference, the South Dakota Center for the Book and others. In 2002, she participated in a symposium on "Women of the West" at the White House.
During her lifetime, she also wrote and co-produced "Dakota Women", a production for South Dakota Public Television.
Currently, Nancy holds a post of a director of Research and Publishing at South Dakota State Historical Society Press. She handles media requests and works with Baum researchers, interested in his years in Aberdeen, including the controversial Sitting Bull and Wounded Knee editorials, his interest in theosophy and the Henry Littlefield populist parable.
(Koupal edited and annotated this work.)
1999(Nancy edited this work.)
1989(L. Frank Baum historian Nancy Tystad Koupal delves into t...)
2013Nancy Koupal is a member of Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, Western History Association, Center for Great Plains Studies and International Wizard of Oz Club.
Quotes from others about the person
"Koupal alone is responsible for the recent renaissance of South Dakota history by improving the quality and the scope of South Dakota history publications. This feat has enabled the state’s population to now understand greater pieces of their historical heritage." — Richmond L. Clow, Professor of the University of Montana
"For nearly thirty years of creative work in preserving and disseminating the history of South Dakota, Nancy Koupal clearly deserves the state’s recognition and thanks." — Gary D. Olson, a Professor of History at Augustana College
Nancy married William Gene Koupal, a communications consultant, on January 25, 1969. Their marriage produced two children — Alyssa Helen and Kristen Mary.