Rasmus B. Anderson
Encyclopedia
Rasmus Bjørn Anderson was an American author, professor, and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the idea that Viking
explorers
discovered the New World
and was the originator of Leif Erikson Day
.
in Dane County, Wisconsin
to parents who were immigrants from Stavanger
in the county of Rogaland
, Norway
. His parents were part of a small band of Quaker sympathizers who organized the first Norwegian emigration to America in the early 1820s. Anderson was a graduate of Luther College
and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1867-1883. While there, he was the founding head of the Department of Scandinavian Studies
, the oldest such department in an American university.
Rasmus B. Anderson founded a publication company, The Norrœna Society
, which focused on republishing translations of texts devoted to "the History and Romance of Northern Europe". Anderson was the author of a number of books with Scandinavian themes. He also did a series of translations from Scandinavian languages, most notably the writings of Norwegian novelist Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
. From 1885 to 1889, Anderson served as the United States Ambassador to Denmark
. After his return to the U.S. in 1889, he was editor (1898–1922) of the Norwegian language weekly, Amerika.
Anderson's book America Not Discovered by Columbus helped popularize the now familiar idea that Vikings were the first Europeans in the New World
. Anderson was the originator of the movement to honor Leif Erikson with a holiday in the United States
. Through efforts he started and led, Leif Erikson Day
became an official observance in his native Wisconsin
and other U. S. states. Decades after Anderson's death, it first became a federal observance by Presidential proclamation in 1964.
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
explorers
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
discovered the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
and was the originator of Leif Erikson Day
Leif Erikson Day
Leif Erikson Day is an annual American observance occurring on October 9. It honors Leif Ericson , the Norse explorer who brought the first Europeans known to have set foot in North America....
.
Biography
Anderson was born in AlbionAlbion, Dane County, Wisconsin
Albion is a town in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States, located about 27 miles southeast of Madison on Interstate 90. The population was 1,823 at the 2000 Census. The unincorporated communities of Albion and Hillside are located in the town.-History:...
in Dane County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to parents who were immigrants from Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
in the county of Rogaland
Rogaland
is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. His parents were part of a small band of Quaker sympathizers who organized the first Norwegian emigration to America in the early 1820s. Anderson was a graduate of Luther College
Luther College (Iowa)
Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1867-1883. While there, he was the founding head of the Department of Scandinavian Studies
Scandinavian studies
Scandinavian studies is an interdisciplinary academic field of area studies that covers topics related to Scandinavia and the Nordic countries, including their languages, literature, history, culture and society, in countries other than these. As described in the article on Scandinavia, that name...
, the oldest such department in an American university.
Rasmus B. Anderson founded a publication company, The Norrœna Society
Norrœna Society
The Norrœna Society was the imprint of a private publishing venture that between 1905 and 1911 produced multi-volume sets of reprints of classic 19th-century editions, mostly translations, of Old Norse literary and historical works, Northern European folklore, and medieval literature.-Historical...
, which focused on republishing translations of texts devoted to "the History and Romance of Northern Europe". Anderson was the author of a number of books with Scandinavian themes. He also did a series of translations from Scandinavian languages, most notably the writings of Norwegian novelist Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
. From 1885 to 1889, Anderson served as the United States Ambassador to Denmark
United States Ambassador to Denmark
The first representative from the United States to Denmark was appointed in 1827 as a Chargé d'Affaires. There followed a series of chargés and ministers until 1890 when the first full ambassador was appointed...
. After his return to the U.S. in 1889, he was editor (1898–1922) of the Norwegian language weekly, Amerika.
Anderson's book America Not Discovered by Columbus helped popularize the now familiar idea that Vikings were the first Europeans in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
. Anderson was the originator of the movement to honor Leif Erikson with a holiday in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Through efforts he started and led, Leif Erikson Day
Leif Erikson Day
Leif Erikson Day is an annual American observance occurring on October 9. It honors Leif Ericson , the Norse explorer who brought the first Europeans known to have set foot in North America....
became an official observance in his native Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and other U. S. states. Decades after Anderson's death, it first became a federal observance by Presidential proclamation in 1964.
Selected bibliography
- Julegave (1872)
- Den norske maalsag (1874)
- America Not Discovered by Columbus (1874)
- Norse Mythology (1875) - Reprint 2010. Editions d'Héligoland - ISBN : 978-2-914874-67-0 (French version)
- Viking Tales of the North (1877)
- The Younger Edda (1880)
- Amerikas første Opdagelse (1886)
- First Chapter of Norwegian Immigration, 1821–1840 (1895)
- Bygdejævning (1903)
- The Norse Discovery of America (1907)
- Life Story of Rasmus B. Anderson (1915, with Albert O. Barton)
- Cleng Peerson og sluppen "Restaurationen" (1925)
Additional Sources
- Knaplund, Paul Rasmus B. Anderson, Pioneer and Crusader (Norwegian-American Historical Association. Volume I8: Page 23)
- Husvedt, Lloyd Rasmus Bjørn Anderson. Pioneer Scholar (Northfield, Minn.: 1966)