Norwegian Statehood Pioneer Project
Celebrating Minnesota's Sesquicentennial

Keynote Speaker - Odd S. Lovoll, PhD

We are honored to have as our keynote speaker one of the premier historians of the Norwegian-American experience, Odd S. Lovoll, Professor Emeritus in History, St Olaf College, Northfield MN.

 

Dr. Lovoll was born in Norway and immigrated to the United States in 1946. His undergraduate work was completed in Norway and he received his M. A. in US History from the University of North Dakota in 1969, and his PhD in 1973 from the University of Minnesota.  In 1975, his doctoral dissertation, A Folk Epic: The Bygdelag in America,  was published as a Sesquicentennial publication of Norwegian immigration to the US.

 

Dr. Lovoll retired from the King Olav V Chair in Scandinavian-American Studies at St Olaf College in 2000 after thirty years on the St. Olav faculty.  He was publication editor for the Norwegian-American Historical Association for over twenty years.  He has authored or edited books and articles about Norwegian Americans and Scandinavian-American immigration in both Norway and the United States.  Norwegian historical experience in three small towns in west-central Minnesota, Norske smabyer pa praerien. Ed kulturhistorisk studie, was published in an English-language edition in 2006 as Norwegians on the Prairie: Ethnicity and the Development of the Country Town. He was decorated with the Knight's Cross First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in 1986 by King Olav V, and in 1989 he was inducted into membership in The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. He occupies one of nine chairs in the Academy reserved for foreign historians.

 

Google Books provides a list and summaries of Dr. Lovoll's published works. 

 

Memorial Service - Pastor Per Inge Vik, Mindekirken

Pastor Vik from the Norwegian Memorial Church in Minneapolis will lead us through the portion of the program during which we will honor the Norwegian Statehood Pioneers.  The actual Call of the Roll will be presented by Statehood Pioneer descendants Georgia Rosendahl of Spring Grove and Jim Skree of Houston MN.

 

 

"Those Lutheran Ladies" Janet Martin and Suzann Nelson

Janet Letnes Martin, a native of Hillsboro, ND lives in Hastings, MN. A graduate of Augsburg College, she began writing books in 1983. She has authored/co-authored and created 13 books, two audio tapes and various novelty products and calls herself a "Norwegian-Lutheran Farm Girl Humorist". Janet presently does about 100+ speaking engagements each year. Her website

Suzann Nelson attended Augsburg with Janet. She also studied at the University of Oslo and did considerable graduate work at the University of Minnesota. Suzann directed Skogfjorden, Concordia College's Norwegian Language Village, in the 1970's and the Northern Citizens League in the 80's and 90's. She is a favorite at conventions and for organizations with her signature presentation, "Hotpads, Hotdishes, and Hotflashes: How we got the way we are."  In 1994, she teamed up with Janet and together they've written a number of books and performed together for hundreds of audiences.   Her website

In 1998, Suzann and Janet received the Minnesota Book Award for Humor for Growing Up Lutheran and in 2006, they were awarded Metro Lutheran's Gold Pen Award by Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  "Growing up Lutheran" was transformed into the hilarious musical Church Basement Ladies.

Reception

Rochester Accordion Band

The Rochester Area Accordion Band was formed in 1998 after an article in the local paper asked for individuals to take their accordions out of their closets and join the group!  Along with twice monthly rehearsals, the Band presents two to seven concerts each month.  Their first public appearance was at the International Picnic in 1998, and the Band has played at this local event every year since.   They play for fairs, ethnic festivals, and many other community events.

 

 

Banquet

The Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble

This trio of Scandinavian minstrels will provide music, stories, and fun both during the pre-banquet reception and as the evening's post-banquet entertainers.  Over the past 34 years, LeRoy Larson and his group have performed on television both in the US (CBS' This Morning, CBN-Fam's American Snapshots) and in Norway.  They've been invited to play on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion and have performed in concerts at the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center, and for Norway's King Olav V. In 1989, the group was a recipient of a Minnesota Music Award.  

The Ensemble specializes in the music that has emerged from the Scandinavian communities in the Midwest with a focus on Norwegian-Americans. Their repertoire includes vocal music, dance tunes, dialect songs, jokes, anecdotes, historical material, and original music written in traditional styles. 

We're delighted that the Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble will provide the perfect close to a wonderful day of celebrating our Norwegian-Minnesotan heritage! 

Learn more about the group and follow the links to listen to samples from the CD's that are available for purchase here.