Danish Children Growing Up American

Criss Library First Floor – UNO Libraries and the Danish American Archive and Library, located in Blair, Nebraska, announce the opening of a photography exhibit on the first floor of the Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library.

The exhibit, “Danish Children Growing Up American,” features dozens of photographs from the Danish American Archive and Library (DAAL) along with artifacts from the Washington County Historical Museum’s collection. The exhibit runs from September 24 through November 1, 2019.

The exhibit allows visitors to walk into the world of Danish immigrant children at the turn of the 20th century as presented on twenty 8-foot tall panels. The exhibit shows immigration both to and from Denmark, children at play, the clothes and costumes children wore, life on the farm, religious life, and education. Several touching photos show the impact death had on the lives of these children, whether it was the death of a sibling or the death of a parent which resulted in their being sent to an orphanage.

The traveling exhibit “Danish Children Growing Up American” was first curated in 2013 in a partnership between DAAL and UNO Libraries. It is appropriate for the exhibit to be displayed at UNO as Omaha is the American city that has the largest percentage of people of Danish descent according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Mogens Bay and Bruce Lauritzen, local businessmen of Danish descent, provided the major funding for the creation of the traveling exhibit in 2013.

A lecture by Jan Jessen, Denmark, 1931-1932: Roots of Nazi Resistance, will be held in conjunction with the exhibit on the first floor/lower level of Criss Library on October 14 at 4:00 PM. The lecture will be followed by a reception. Both are free and open to the public.

About the Danish American Archive and Library

The DAAL has antecedents in the earlier archives of the United Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church and of Dana College—each of which essentially was institutional. Since 1986 a new archive has emerged with its emphasis being ethnic, rather than institutional. In 2011 it was formally incorporated as the Danish American Archive and Library, a 501 (C)(3) corporation. DAAL is located in Blair, Nebraska.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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