200th Anniversary Gala Dinner Remarks

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.   

I’d like to start by taking just a moment to thank the organizers, sponsors, and volunteers for their commitment to making this week’s events a fitting tribute to this important anniversary, as well as the entire Stavanger region’s dedication to making this celebration a success.  And finally, special thanks to Ann Irene for your tireless efforts. 

For many months now as we’ve been discussing plans for this auspicious anniversary, marking the day when that first ship set sail for New York from Stavanger, I couldn’t help but reflect on the incredible courage those emigrants showed in making that voyage in search of a new life in America.  And let’s be clear – the United States was still a very new nation in 1825.  When even your founding fathers referred to your country as a great experiment, you know you’re probably going to need help.  Help from people like the 52 Norwegians aboard the sloop Restauration, whose willingness to risk everything and deep determination to succeed foreshadowed the tremendous impact they would ultimately have on U.S. history, society, and culture. 

John Quincy Adams became only our sixth president in that year, two New Yorkers patented the tin can to preserve food, and America was rapidly expanding westward, building infrastructure like railroads and canals.  Norwegian-Americans became a part of that expansion, founding communities and institutions that continue to thrive and form the bedrock of the strong bilateral relationship we have today.  Colleges, churches, political organizations, and businesses.  Companies that are now household names, like Hilton Hotels, Trane air conditioners, Moen faucets, and Medtronic.  And of course, Americans of Norwegian descent essentially created the U.S. ski industry. 

In fact, the contributions of prominent Americans of Norwegian heritage extend to every facet of our society.  Senators and vice presidents, supreme court justices, astronauts, inventors, and of course Nobel Prize winners.  John Hundale Lawrence pioneered nuclear medicine.  Knute Rockne became one of the greatest college football coaches of all time (American football, that is) and Norwegian-American Babe Didriksen Zaharias excelled at most every sport, while actors like Sigrid Gurie and Tippi Hedren made Hollywood history.   Regardless of the field, the impact of Norwegian emigrants on America has been positive, profound, and enduring.  Even today.  Let me give you an example. 

I recently came across the story of Nikolai Gjelsvik, who arrived at Ellis Island from Norway with his brother in 1906.  Like many others at that time, immigration officials told him his name was too hard to spell or pronounce, so he went with Nick Thune after the farm he’d worked on near Bergen.  Nick worked on the railroad as they built it west, learned English, and saved up enough money to eventually start a small hardware store in Mitchell, South Dakota.  It was a typical American immigrant story.  He married and had three sons, one of whom – Harold – would go on to be a decorated fighter pilot in World War II, then return to his hometown to teach, coach, and raise a family of his own.  Harold passed away five years ago at the age of 100, but his son – Senate Majority Leader John Thune – is now one of the most influential politicians in the United States.  Just one of several Norwegian-Americans currently in leadership positions in Washington. 

Today, interest among Norwegian-Americans in their heritage and culture is extensive and continues to grow, reflecting pride in their roots.  Decorah, Iowa was recently named one of the most charming small towns in America in part due to its Norwegianness.  It hosts an annual festival celebrating Norwegian culture, as do towns from Wisconsin to Alaska.  Whether it’s the Hardanger Fiddle Association of America promoting traditional Norwegian music and dance, or Vinje Lutheran Church in Wilmar, Minnesota hosting its 105th Annual Lutefisk Supper last year, Americans are passionate about preserving their Norwegian heritage – even 200 years after some of their ancestors left these shores. 

The rich shared history we celebrate in this anniversary year truly serves as a testament to the fact that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.  Today, we are essential Allies committed to our shared security and defense, as well as longstanding economic partners dedicated to ensuring a prosperous future.  But before all of that – for two centuries – we have been building a vast network of ties between the people of our two nations.  Bonds based on shared interests and affinity between communities, families, and friends that began with those first emigrants who stepped off a boat in New York one fall day in 1825.  It’s fitting that we pay tribute to their journey today.  

Thank you.