Oral Histories

My name is Roy Jorgensen, and I’m an historian on the NIA Research Team. My main interest is in capturing the voices of Norwegian American immigrants and their experiences in New York. As a start, I have initiated a partnership with StoryCorps to preserve on CDs the voices of Norwegian immigrants and their experiences in New York.

The NIA oral history project continues in collaboration with StoryCorps in New York City, (www.Storycorps.com). Unfortunately, the StoryCorps facility in grand Central Station has closed, but the two organizations can continue their work of adding the peoples’ stories at another facility in the Manhattan civic center at Foley Square Park just north of NY City Hall. For more information about the new location, click here.

Early this year NIA had coordinated appointments at the downtown StoryCorps recording chamber for six members of the Norwegian-American community. Among those who granted time to be interviewed were Evelyn Hammeran and Walter Barthold of NJ, Rolf Stang of NYC and John Carlson of Brooklyn. Sam Bergholtz from LI was unable to make his appointment as a result of being hospitalized. He is home again and is coming along fine and will hopefully be able to make his story know at a later date.

These fascinating stories will be included in the individual’s private collection as well as in the archives of NIA Research Center, 317 E 52nd Street, NYC and at the Library of Congress, Washington DC, where at both places people can research the lives and experiences of the families that had immigrated from Norway to the New World.

StoryCorps and NIA can travel to various communities in the tri-state area to record groups (six per day) in a particular venue. Communities like Whiting, NJ , Huntington, NY, and Rockland County, NY would be ideal for such an oral history collaboration.

NIA is also working on establishing its own project in order to include people who are not located in the New York area or who cannot travel to New York City for such an interview.

The oral history project is a huge undertaking but is extremely important to the history of the Norwegian American community, and this fascinating and rewarding work needs many individuals to accomplish the monumental task. If you can help even in the slightest way please let us know by sending an email to:
the Norwegian Immigration Association NIA historyonline@Yahoo.com
or to me, Roy Jorgensen royjorg@aol.com .

The NIA looks forward to hearing from you and working with you on this rewarding project.

Pictured above is Ruth Qualben of Brooklyn, NY being interviewed by her daughter-in-law Marti.