Jottings News

Good sports teams sustain winning seasons over time when they have a depth of players and a vision from the coaches that doesn’t rely on one star player. In the same way, teamwork is essential for an institution like the DAAL to thrive.

We’ve come a long way in 15 years. When Dana College closed, we found ourselves with no money and no place to house our collection. Only because we had John W. Nielsen’s vision, Tim Jensen’s level-headedness and Sandra Wigdahl’s tenacity were we able to start plotting our course.

An important collection at the Danish American Archive and Library is that of Sophus Keith Winther (1893-1983). He was born in Denmark and came to America with his family at the age of two in 1895.

Jacob Riis, a late-nineteenth-century Danish immigrant of meager resources, followed his interests and became one of the most significant contributors to social reform in the city of New York and generally throughout America.

The Big Brotherhood Books: Weighing in at between twenty and forty-five pounds, the membership books of the Danish Brotherhood in America are an important resource for those seeking information about the 80,000 men who were a part of the society from the 1880s to the 1970s.

Peder Sørensen Vig was born into a poor farm family near Egtved, Denmark in 1854. He came to the United States in 1879 and worked a variety of jobs in Chicago. His goal since his youth was to become a Lutheran pastor.

Nikolaj Thomsen Lünd, who went through so many name variations in his youth that he finally settled upon “N. T. Lund”, became a kind of Danish midwestern Everyman after immigrating to the United States in April of 1882 at the age of seven years.

Our volunteers have always been the lifeblood of our organization. John W. Nielsen, Ninna Engskow, Ruth Herman Nielsen and Flo Hansen started recording volunteer hours on July 28, 1992.

In the Fall 2007 Jottings, John W. Nielsen announced a name change for the organization (at that time still within Dana College) from The Danish Immigrant Archive to The Danish American Archive and Library to more accurately reflect the expanding nature of its focus and holdings.

Remodeling Improvements. Sandy Sonderup is pictured with new track lighting and an exhibit case behind her. The workstation now has a computer and an ergonomic office chair. There is also a standing table available for laying out projects, and the top of the front cabinet is open for displaying items.

The Dream Becomes a Reality. The first panels of the Danish American Commemorative Wall are on display! What began with the question: “Do you have any naming opportunities?” has become a reality thanks to the collaborative efforts of many.

Revealing the Remodeled DAAL. The Danish American Archive and Library closed for remodeling last October and reopened this March. During that time our major goal was to install movable shelving on one side of the Archive to increase our storage space.