WINTER 2019 | a BENEFIT of MEMBERSHIP in the MUSEUM of DANISH AMERICA CONTENTS 09 Identity & Art 07 Danish Sisterhood 22 Powerful Portraiture 26 Ancestral Odds & Ends
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
americaletter WINTER 2019 | A BENEFIT OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE MUSEUM OF DANISH AMERICA CONTENTS 09 Identity & Art 07 Danish Sisterhood 22 Powerful Portraiture 26 Ancestral Odds & Ends 04 Directors Corner 18 Collection 28 New Members Connection & Old Friends 05 Board Meeting 20 Calendars 34 Christmas Revue Treats ON THE COVER America Letter Guldborg Kirk, artist’s wife (1881 – 1949) Winter 2019, No. 3 Svend Kirk Published three times annually by the Museum of Danish America Denmark, 1950 2212 Washington Street, Elk Horn, Iowa 51531 Gift of Rick Sorensen, 2010.012.004 712.764.7001 | www.danishmuseum.org 2 MUSEUM OF DANISH AMERICA staff & interns Interim Director & Building & Grounds Genealogy Assistant Albert Ravenholt Manager Wanda Sornson, M.S. Curator of Danish- Tim Fredericksen E: wanda.sornson American Culture E: tim.fredericksen Tova Brandt, M.A. Executive Director E: tova.brandt Curator of Collections Emeritus & Registrar John Mark Nielsen, Ph.D. Administrative Manager Angela Stanford, M.A. Terri Johnson E: angela.stanford WEEKEND STAFF E: terri.johnson Rochelle Bruns Archival Collections Jan Greving Development Manager Manager Beth Rasmussen Deb Christensen Larsen Cheyenne Jansdatter, Rodger Rasmussen E: deb.larsen M.L.I.S. E: cjansdatter Intern Communications Hannah Bernhard Specialist, America Design Store Manager Letter Editor Nan Dreher Nicky Christensen E: nan.dreher E: nicky.christensen Administrative Assistant To contact staff, use Accounting Manager Terri Amaral the prefix shown after E:, Jennifer Winters E: terri.amaral followed by E: jennifer.winters @danishmuseum.org WHY “AMERICA LETTER?” Letters that were written by immigrants to family and friends back in Denmark are called “America letters” by historians. These letters are often given credit for influencing people to come to America because they were full of details of how good life was here. We call our magazine America Letter because we also want to tell the good news about the museum and encourage people to join us! AMERICA LETTER 3 director’s corner This edition of the America Letter institution does. Instead, an Along with updated statements explores different aspects of how institution like a museum presents of vision and values, this mission we present ourselves to others. itself to others through its mission better describes the scope statement. For many years of what we do. It emphasizes Most obviously, a formal portrait the mission statement of this the present as well as the past is a carefully planned visual institution has been “The Museum and places Danish-American representation of a person. In the of Danish America celebrates experience in the context of the new exhibition Kings, Queens, Danish roots and American diversity of America. and Commoners, we see many dreams.” examples of how a subject and Defining and affirming our artist collaborate on presenting This statement has been mission, vision, and values is the physical characteristics admirable for its poetry, for its especially important for the of the subject as well as their balance of Denmark and the museum at this time. We are in personality and experience. In the United States, and for its concise the midst of developing a new best portraits, we get a sense of (easy to remember!) nature. But Strategic Plan, a process started who that person was and what it didn’t provide much detail in 2018 and due for completion was important to them. In other about how, why, or for whom the in 2020. With an updated mission examples we see people at a museum would fulfill this mission. in place, the board can use it as milestone in their lives – think of a tool to align all of the tangible a wedding portrait, which is an The board of directors has goals of the next Strategic Plan. important document of that event, just approved a new Mission if not a representation of what the Statement: We will continue to “celebrate couple’s daily lives were like. Danish roots and American dreams.” In fact, if someone asks “The Museum of Danish For the artists working in Skagen, you what this museum is about, Denmark around the turn of the America explores the you can still quote that phrase! 20th century, representing daily life Danish-American But as we look to a new year, we was a way to present the national have renewed senses of shared Danish character. They aimed to experience, the historic purpose and pride in the work that illustrate fundamental values by and modern influences of we do for Danish America. interpreting the landscape and Denmark on the United community with their brushes and canvases. By focusing on States, and the continuing working-class subjects, they story of how a nation of celebrated the Danish “folk” instead of the urban elites. immigrants shape American identity.” For an institution, a photograph of its building or its staff doesn’t really represent what that By Tova Brandt 4 MUSEUM OF DANISH AMERICA 01 board of directors We welcomed new board members: Dennis Gray (Winston- Salem, NC), Dan Jensen OCTOBER 3-5, 2019 (Columbus, OH), Elly Jorgensen meeting ELK HORN, IA (Prairie Village, KS), Chris Kofoed (West Branch, IA), and Mike Nielsen (Altoona, IA). Merlyn Knudsen, a resident of Elk Horn, was elected to his first three-year term after filling an unexpired The Museum of Danish America’s convention attendees gathered term. annual fall meeting was moved for dinner together at the C.G. up a fortnight from its usual Therkildsen Center in Harlan. The We said thank you and farewell date to the first week of October evening’s program was about the to Bente Ellis (San Jose, CA), to coincide with the National importance of the Sisterhood’s Carolyn Larson (St. Paul, MN), Convention of the Danish archival donation, which will be and Craig Molgaard (Little Rock, Sisterhood of America (DSS), held catalogued into the museum’s AR) whose terms ended at this in Omaha this year. database by Archival Collections meeting. Manager Cheyenne Jansdatter. We hosted 109 Sisters for behind- Cheyenne’s two-year position New officers elected at the annual the-scenes tours of the artifact is funded in part by a Historical meeting were: Beth Bro Roof, storage vaults and the special Resource Development Program President (Cedar Rapids, IA); Pete collection that was donated by grant from the State of Iowa. This West, Vice President (Denver, CO); the DSS in 2016. Later that same is a matching grant, and we are Karen Suchomel, Treasurer (West evening museum staff, board currently seeking donations to Branch, IA); and Toni McLeod, members, spouses, guests, and complete the funding. Secretary (Mesa, AZ). 01. På dansk From left: Bente Ellis, Annette Andersen, Connie Hanson, By Terri Johnson Peder Hansen and Jenny Mackenzie sing the Danish National Anthem. Photo: David Hendee AMERICA LETTER 5 01 EXECUTIVE MEMBERS President Beth Bro-Roof, Cedar Rapids, IA Vice President Pete West, Denver, CO Secretary Toni McLeod, Mesa, AZ Treasurer Karen Suchomel, West Branch, IA 02 BOARD MEMBERS Anders Sand, Kansas City, MO Carl Steffensen, Houston, TX Carol Bassoni, Gilroy, CA Carol Svendsen, Denver, CO Chris Kofoed, West Branch, IA Connie Hanson, Glendora, CA Dan Jensen, Columbus, OH David Esbeck, San Diego, CA David Hendee, Northfield, MN Dennis Gray, Winston-Salem, NC Elly Jorgensen, Prairie Village, KS Eric Olesen, Racine, WI Gerry Henningsen, Monument, CO 03 Glenn Henriksen, Armstrong, IA Karen Nielsen, Overland Park, KS Lars Matthiesen, Edmonds, WA Marnie Jensen, Nebraska City, NE Merlyn Knudsen, Elk Horn, IA Mike Nielsen, Altoona, IA Peder Hansen, Omaha, NE Randy Ruggaard, Hudson, OH EX-OFFICIO Dennis Larson, Decorah, IA John Mark Nielsen, Blair, NE Kai Nyby, LaPorte, IN Nils Jensen, Portland, OR 01. DSS 02. Lunch 03. Desserts President’s pin worn Elk Horn’s new Provided by by Sindy Mikkelsen restaurant, The O&H Danish at a banquet as part Danish Table, was Bakery, Racine, WI. of the organization’s the site of a meal Photos by 6 MUSEUM OF DANISH AMERICA national convention. between meetings. David Hendee a story of sisterhood THE DANISH SISTERHOOD OF AMERICA Among the many Danes who and their families in the case of immigrated to America in the death or illness. mid-to-late 1800s were Christine Hemmingsen and her family. The first meeting of the Dansk Christine was born January 30, Søstersamfunds – now known as 1840 in Orup, Denmark. In 1873 the Danish Sisterhood of America Christine, her husband Niels, – took place in the Hemmingsen and three of their children left for home on December 15, 1883. As America. The family first arrived a member of the Brotherhood, in New York before continuing to Niels had the power to charter the Negaunee, MI, a mining town near organization and install members. Lake Superior. Christine and ten other women became the first official members, Adjusting to a new country and 20 men joined as “social” and culture was difficult. Many members. Niels would become different ethnic communities the Sisterhood’s first National formed organizations or societies Supreme President. to aid members in navigating the challenges of immigration One year after its founding, while keeping traditions alive. Christine died in childbirth at age For Danes there was the Danish 44. Her husband was the first to Brotherhood, or Det Danske receive a funeral benefit from the Brodersamfund. It was a national Danish Sisterhood, for a sum of fraternal insurance association $9.25. formed in Omaha, NE for Danish immigrant males. The Negaunee The Danish Sisterhood of lodge was one of the first six America’s Supreme Lodge was chartered on July 1, 1882. Many officially chartered under Illinois men, including Niels, were law on May 15, 1891. In their members. declaration, Sisterhood members wrote that the organization’s Soon after the Brotherhood was objective was “to promote social formed, one of the Hemmingsens’ intercourse among its members family friends died, leaving behind and mutual enjoyment also to a husband and two children.