Legacy of the Centennial
Norwegian-American Historical Association
Voices calling for the creation of a center for Norwegian-American history go back to 1875. Fifty years later the Norse-American Centennial of 1925 provided the stimulus for founding the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA). Following the centennial, a meeting was held on October 6, 1925, at St. Olaf College to officially organize a historical association to collect and preserve the story of Norwegian-American immigrants. The organization was housed at St. Olaf, where it has remained for its nearly 100-year history.Theodore C. Blegen and Ole E. Rølvaag were appointed the first editor and the first general secretary of NAHA, respectively. Blegen shaped the association’s publications program while Rølvaag was dedicated to collecting material for the archives. In 1926, the first volume of “Norwegian-American Studies and Records” was published to detail and interpret the Norwegian-American experience. The journal’s name was later shortened to “Norwegian-American Studies.”
1931, NAHA Editor Theodore Blegen published “Norwegian Migration to America, 1825-1860” and then in 1940 published “Norwegian Migration to America: The American Transition.” These books were foundational works in Norwegian-American scholarship and shaped the way that Norwegian-American immigration was studied. Today, with one of the oldest and largest ethnic manuscript collections in the United States, the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA) is a leader in the field of ethnic migration studies. Its mission is to locate, collect, preserve and interpret the Norwegian-American experience with accuracy, integrity, and liveliness.
Mindekirken
Mindekirken, otherwise known as the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, was founded in 1922, three years prior to the Centennial. However, Mindekirken didn’t see much success or popularity until the Centennial, when support for the church grew, and as a result, money was raised to build an official building soon after. In 1929, the building was completed and worship officially began there in 1930.Mindekirken, unlike other Norwegian Lutheran churches of the time, continued having services in Norwegian as opposed to English, which had become the norm. Mindekirken, and the people who worshiped there, were dedicated to maintaining their historic connection with Norway and their Norwegian cultural heritage.
To this day, Mindekirken maintains its Norwegian identity and continues to have services in Norwegian, as well as celebrating Norwegian holidays like syttende Mai, the Norwegian Constitution Day. Several prominent Norwegian officials have visited, including King Olav V in 1975. Mindekirken also holds a variety of festivals in Norwegian, many of which focus on musical performances.
Vesterheim
Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum is a museum in Decorah, Iowa, which contains artifacts from Norwegian and Norwegian American history, and also aims to preserve Norwegian culture in the United States. Founded in 1877, the museum became a part of the nearby Luther College soon after.During the Centennial, Vesterheim and Luther College both played a role, with the notable O. M. Norlie, a historian and professor at Luther, contributing to the known history of the Norwegian peoples in America for the Centennial. Following the Centennial, Vesterheim received a large collection of Norwegian artifacts and history as a gift from both Norwegian and Norwegian Americans donors, growing the size of their collections.
Vesterheim broke apart from Luther College in 1965, and has since then continued its mission to preserve Norwegian history and culture in America. Every year, a festival is held in Decorah honoring Norwegian culture, called Nordic Fest, at the end of July, which is run by the Vesterheim Museum.
Daughters of the Norse American Centennial
The Daughters of the Norse American Centennial were founded on July 13th, 1925, immediately after the Norse American Centennial. Its founder, Josephine Brack, had served as an organizer of the Centennial, organizing fundraising, housing, reception, and other elements of the Centennial that involved interaction with the guests and visitors to the Centennial. Many of the early members of the organization also worked to make the Centennial a success. Annual meetings were held starting in February in 1926.Many of the activities of the Daughters of the Norse American Centennial include the preservation of Norwegian music, art and literature, including fundraising for projects that promoted Norwegian culture. One of the organization's biggest projects was fundraising for the Leif Erikson Statue in St. Paul.