Between 1881 and 1920, nearly 250,000 single Swedish women immigrated to the United States. The reasons women left Sweden were as varied as the women themselves. Some emigrated for better job opportunities. Some left to honor family obligations. Still others left to escape gendered expectations. And some left because emigration offered an attainable adventure. But immigrant life in the United States proved difficult for many. Join us on Tuesday, August 14, from 12:15-1:00pm as Marcus Cederström, Community Curator of Nordic-American Folklore, uses letters and diaries, poetry and short stories, memoirs and oral histories from the women themselves to discuss what life was like for Swedish working women in the early 1900s.
Cost:
Suggested donation of $3/person
Hosted by:
Wisconsin Historical Museum (608-264-6555 or museum@wisconsinhistory.org)