The Norwegian Department’s 125th Anniversary Celebration: The Norwegian Discovery of America and the Creation of a Norway in America

All are welcome to attend a lecture by Henrik Olav Mathiesen, which addresses two key questions about Norwegians in America: why they came, and how they balanced their unique culture with their developing American identity. By examining pre-emigration Norwegian society and how immigrants sought to belong as Norwegians in America, Mathiesen will reveal how immigrants forged a new American identity through their unique cultural traditions.

The first 125 students will also receive a commemorative gift!

Mathiesen has spent years uncovering emigrant letters printed in the homeland press. He has also researched aspects of Norwegian American identity and belonging. In 2025, he worked with the national Library of Norway to design the exhibition “Gone West: Dreaming of a Better Life in America.”