History
The first meeting of the Norwegian American Historical Association took place on October 6, 1925 in Northfield, Minnesota. [2] By February 4, 1926, the Norwegian American Historical Association was incorporated by the State of Minnesota. Since it's founding, the independent non-profit organization as been located on the campus of St. Olaf College, in Northfield, Minnesota. Both institutions are independent entities. [3]
The first executive board consisted of [4] :
- D.G. Ristad, president
- Laurence M. Larson, vice-president
- O.E. Rølvaag, secretary and archivist
- O.M. Oleson, treasurer
- Birger Osland, assistant treasurer
- A.C. Floan
- Knut Gjerset
- Kristian Prestgard
- Theodore C. Blegen, editor
Publications
Theodore C. Blegen served as managing editor for publications from 1925 until his retirement in 1960. His devotion to high standards of historical scholarship enabled the Norwegian American Historical Association to achieve a reputation as a learned society. Later editors have included Kenneth O. Bjork from 1960 until 1980 and Odd S. Lovoll from 1980 until 2001. [5]
The association promotes Norwegian-American historical research and literary work; and helps maintain and develop archives of Norwegian-American historical material. Its Norwegian-American Studies (formerly Studies and Records) publications are available online. [6] The current editor of NAHA's publications is Anna Peterson. [7] The association has enjoyed success and gained the recognition and respect of an international scholarly community. [8]
In fulfillment of its purpose, the association has published nearly one hundred books of scholarly merit; promoted Norwegian-American historical research and literary work and preserved of materials of historical significance. [9] [10]
Norwegian Americans are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans, according to the 2021 U.S. census; most live in the Upper Midwest and on the West Coast of the United States.
Einar Ingvald Haugen was an American linguist and writer known for his influential work in American sociolinguistics and Norwegian-American studies, including Old Norse studies.
Ole Edvart Rølvaag was a Norwegian-American novelist and professor who became well known for his writings regarding the Norwegian American immigrant experience. Ole Rolvaag is most cited for Giants in the Earth, his award-winning, epic novel of Norwegian immigrant homesteaders in Dakota Territory.
Gulbrand Torsteinson Hagen was an American newspaper editor, writer and photographer in Minnesota and North Dakota at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th.
Ingebrikt Fredrick Grose or Ingebricks F. Grose was an author, college professor and founding president of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota.
The Norwegian Lutheran Church in the United States is a general term to describe the Lutheran church tradition developed within the United States by immigrants from Norway.
The Muskego Settlement was one of the first Norwegian-American settlements in the United States. Situated near today's Muskego, Wisconsin, the Muskego Settlement covered areas within what is now the town of Norway in Racine County, Wisconsin.
Claus Lauritz Clausen was an American pioneer Lutheran minister, church leader, military chaplain and politician.
Hans Andersen Foss was a Norwegian-American author, newspaper editor and temperance leader. Foss is most noted for his Norwegian language novel, Husmands-gutte (1885) which was translated into English as The Cotter's Son. A story from Sigdal.
Ole Knudsen Nattestad (1807–1886) was a Norwegian-American leader and pioneer immigrant settler. Together with his brother Ansten Nattestad, he played a key role in promoting immigration from Norway and for directing immigrants to southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
Elise Wærenskjold was a Norwegian-American writer, temperance leader and early pioneer in Texas.
Johan Arnd Aasgaard was an American Lutheran church leader.
John Nathan Kildahl was an American Lutheran church minister, author and educator.
Knut Gjerset was a Norwegian-American author, historian and college professor.
Odd Sverre Lovoll is a Norwegian-American author, historian and educator.
Kenneth O. Bjork was an American professor, historian and author. He served as managing editor for publications at the Norwegian-American Historical Association over a twenty-year period.
Giants in the Earth is a novel by Norwegian-American author Ole Edvart Rølvaag. First published in Norwegian in two volumes in 1924 and 1925, it was published in English in 1927, translated by Rølvaag and author Lincoln Colcord (1883–1947).
Muus v. Muus was an 1879 court case in Holden Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota. Divorce in Minnesota's nineteenth century Norwegian-Lutheran community was a rarity. Legal separation between a leading pastor and his wife was unheard of. But an 1879 court case in Holden Township led to both those outcomes, and triggered a public debate about married women's legal rights.
Gaa Paa! was a Norwegian-language newspaper, important for its role in promoting socialism to a Scandinavian immigrant audience in the United States in the early 20th century. It was established at Girard, Kansas in November 1903, and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota the following year.
The Norse-American Centennial celebration was held at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 6–9, 1925.
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