Immigrants in Minnesota USA

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www.mndigital.org ©MDL 2006

Immigrants in Minnesota:

BY

A.Arputha Selvaraj APMP IIM Calcutta

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Understanding the Minnesota Digital Library

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What is the Minnesota Digital Library?

• Repository• Local Resources• No Advertising

• Primary Sources

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Understanding Metadata

Metadata = data about data

Metadata

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Understanding Metadata

Who, What, When, Where

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Browsing Options

Browse the Minnesota Digital Library by Regions

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/region.php

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Browsing Options

Browse the Minnesota Digital Library by Contributing Institutions

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/institution.php

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Browsing OptionsBrowse the Minnesota Digital Library by Topics

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/topic.php

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What is the Minnesota Digital Library Good For?

Search term: Minnesota Immigrants

Google = 4,430,000 results

Minnesota Digital Library = 5 results

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Minnesota Digital Library search term results 1 of 5

A search of the Minnesota Digital Library using the word “immigrants” turned up this picture of Chinese immigrants who took an English class at the YMCA in 1895/1900.

Photographer Not Listed. “Chinese class at YMCA.”Kautz Family YMCA Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries ya000388 1895/1900 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/umk,18

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Another, larger English class at the YMCA for immigrants, taken a couple of years earlier.

Photographer Not Listed. “English class for coming Americans, Minneapolis YMCA Central Branch, 10th Street and Mary Place.” Kautz Family Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries ya000376 1892/1900 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/umk,6

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Why a Bavarian monastery in a search for “immigrants” among historic Minnesota images? A check of the metadata reveals that this monastery was the parent organization for founders of St. Benedict’s monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota.

Photographer Not Listed. “St. Walburg Convent, Elchstatt, Barvaria, founding monastery of St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN.” St. Benedict’s Monastery SBM.0la 1852-1864 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stbm,0

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The metadata with this image

includes the keywords “Swedish

Americans, suggesting that

Swedish may be a useful search

term for more images about

immigration in Minnesota.

J.A. Brush Photographer “Turnblad family, ca.1890.”American Swedish Institute TURFAM1890 1890?Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/swede,0

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The rich description that accompanies this image gives

a translation of the German vow formula, and an interesting

tale about a power struggle

between a Bavarian Abbot

and convents in Minnesota,

a nice example of how a

seemingly simple document

can function as the first page

in a much larger story.Saint John’s Abbey (SJA) Photographer, Collegeville, MN.“Vow formula writeen by Mother Benedicta Riepp, OSB, foundress of the Barvarian branch of American Benedictine Sisters.”Saint Benedict’s Monastery SBM.01b 1846Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06)http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stbm,1

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Immigrants in Minnesota History: A Demonstration Project

• Search the Minnesota Digital Library• Evaluate Images for Factual Accuracy• Analyze Primary Sources

• Form Hypotheses

• Consider Multiple Points of View

• Test Hypotheses with Outside Sources

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Search the Minnesota Digital Library

This image’s metadata

Contains the key words

“Swedish Americans,”

suggesting that Swedish

may be a useful search

term for more images about

Immigration in Minnesota.

Adding an asterisk (*) to a

search term acts as a wild

card, returning anything that

contains the letters before it.

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The search term Swed* brought up this image, closely related to the Turnblad family. It’s a picture of their residence in Minneapolis, taken not long after the building was completed.

Photographer Not Listed. “Swedish Mansion now American Swedish Institute of Arts.” Minneapolis Public Library MS0036 1900-1910 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/mpls,175

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Children of Swedish immigrants may have needed language classes to maintain their ethnic heritage.

Photographer Not Listed. “Swedish School, Chisago Lake District 8.” Gustavus Adolphus College mp-11 7/1/1910 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/gust,5

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Search the Minnesota Digital LibraryThis picture of the Temple Opera

building in Duluth, Minnesota is

also document of a celebration of

Swedish heritage – the people in

the picture are commemorating

the 252nd anniversary of Swedes

arriving in America.

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“German*” may also be a

fruitful search term when

looking for images

related to immigration.

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Search the Minnesota Digital LibraryA search for German* returned this postcard with representations of Lutheran, Catholic and Presbyterian churches in St. Peter, Minnesota.

Photographer Not Listed. “German Catholic, German Luthern, and Presbyterian Churches in St. Peter.” Nicollet County Historical Society E7540 1907-1909 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nico,513

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Search the Minnesota Digital LibraryGermans settled the village of St. Augusta, Minnesota, according to this image’s description.

Photographer Not Listed. “St. Augusta: District School #34 served as both public and parochial school.” Saint Benedict’s Monastery SBM.10l1 1890? Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stbm,128

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Since the search term “German*”

returned items, Norway or Norw*

and Irish seem like good search

terms as well. This image’s meta-

data contains references to

Norwegian and Irish immigrants.

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Earlier we found evidence that a German

Lutheran church existed in St. Peter,

Minnesota. So, apparently, did a

Norwegian Lutheran church! This image

of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in

St. Peter was returned when the

search term “Norw*” was used.

Oscar Fryklund Photographer “Norwegian Lutheran Church in St. Peter.” Nicollet County Historical Society E7897 1907-1909 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06)http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nico,594

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Search the Minnesota Digital LibraryThese “Norwegian skiers” (as described in the metadata) may

be immigrants themselves or carrying on the traditions of their

immigrant

parents,

given their

ski costumes,

which look

like ethnic

clothing.

Photographer Not Listed. “Aurora Ski Club Members.” Goodhue County Historical Society R0223 1890 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06)http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/good,71

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Evaluate Images for Factual Accuracy

This image comes up during a

search for “Irish,” but according

to the metadata the Irish

community in Melrose

established a different school.

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Analyze Primary SourcesPrimary Source = an original document or object made when a historical event occurred.

To analyze a primary source:– Apply the time and place rule– Examine the intent behind the source– Ask: Was the creator a neutral party?

– Examine the intended audience

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Analyze Primary Sources

Apply the time and place rule:

the closer in time and place a

source and its creator are to

an event, the more reliable

the source is.


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Apply the time and place rule.

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Apply the time and place rule.

Photographer Not Listed. “At a street fair on St. Germain Street and 6th Avenue North.” Stearns History Museum shm001792 1905? Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,57

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Analyze Primary SourcesExamine the intent behind the source: • Was the primary source

created to capture an instance in time? A routine transaction?

• A special event? • Was it created • deliberately?


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Examine the intent behind the source.


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Analyze Primary SourcesExamine the

intent behind

the source.

Photographer Not Listed, “Chippewa Children and white settlers.” Pennington County Historical Society 0000-000-494 1905? Minnesoa Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/penn,8

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Was the creator a neutral party?

Bias is prejudice in favor of or against

one thing, person, or group compared

with another.


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Analyze Primary SourcesWas the creator

a neutral party?


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Examine the intended audience:

Knowing who a source was made for

adds another layer of insight into why

it was made.


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Form HypothesesHypothesis One: Early Minnesota immigrants

were Germans, Swedes and Norwegians.

Evidence:

Celebrations of

Swedish culture.

W.W. Kemp Photographer “Lake avenue entrance of Temple Opera Building; men on horses; event of 252nd anniversary of Swedes arrival in America.” Northeast Minnesota Historical Center 778.2 1890 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nemhc,665

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Form HypothesesHypothesis One: Early Minnesota immigrants were Germans, Swedes and Norwegians.

Evidence:

Churches

founded by

German

Immigrants.


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Form HypothesesHypothesis One: Early Minnesota immigrants

were Germans, Swedes and Norwegians.

Evidence:

Establishment of

cultural clubs that

carried on ethnic

traditions

Photographer Not Listed. “Aurora Ski Club Members.” Goodhue County Historical Society R0223 1890 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06)http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/good,71

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Form HypothesesHypothesis Two: Churches were built as the

cement in the early life of Minnesota immigrant

communities.

Evidence:

One community,

many churches.


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Form HypothesesHypothesis Two: Churches were built as the cement in the early life of Minnesota immigrant communities.

Evidence: Roseau’s firstBuilding was the Swedish Lutheran Church.

Ole Alex Holm Photographer, Roseau, MN. “Pearl (now Center) Street, Roseau, MN.” Rouseau County Historical Society 5186 1893-1900 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/ros,85

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Form HypothesesHypothesis Two: Churches were built as the

cement in the early life of Minnesota immigrant

communities.

Evidence: English Classes for immigrants at the Young Men’s Christian Association(YMCA).

Photographer Not Listed. “Chinese class at YMCA.”Kautz Family YMCA Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries ya000388 1895/1900 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/umk,18

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Consider Multiple Points of View

Consider multiple

perspectives such

as race, class,

gender, and

geographical

location.

Photographer Not Listed. “A Residence Quarters in the Old Mary Place YMCA.” Kautz Family YMCA Archives ya00385 1892-1900Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/umk,15

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Consider Multiple Points of View American Indians in the region


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Consider Multiple Points of ViewNational and International Points of View on Local

Immigration

Photographer Not Listed. “St. Walburg Convent, Elchstatt, Barvaria, founding monastery of St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, MN.” St. Benedict’s Monastery SBM.0la 1852-1864 Minnesota Reflections, Minnesota Digital Library. (06/28/06) http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stbm,0

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Test Hypotheses with Outside Sources

Consulting the Census athttp://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.htm

The 1900 census lists Germany most often as the country of origin for residents of StearnsCounty.

http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/index.htm

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According to Fact Monster’sMinnesota page, Norwegians and Swedes came to work in lumber camps in Minnesota.

http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/us/A0859666.html

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Mankato State University’s Minnesota History has pages on German, Swedish, and Norwegian immigration at

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstatehistory/mn_migration.html

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstatehistory/mn_migration.html

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According to the Minnesota Historical Society’s

TimePieces http://events.mnhs.org/Timepieces/Index.cfm interactive timeline the 1862 Homestead Act gave 160 acres to anyone willing to live, farm for five years and build a permanent dwelling in Minnesota and many other states.

http://events.mnhs.org/Timepieces/Index.cfm

http://events.mnhs.org/Timepieces/Index.cfm

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Visit the Minnesota Digital Libraryhttp://www.mndigital.org

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Immigrants in Minnesota USA

Education

Transcript of Immigrants in Minnesota USA