Wow...FinnFest is almost here, and with it come a whole host of working-class Finn activities. I'm involved in three events and would like to outline them here:
1) Thursday, June 20, 2013, Finnish Immigrant Working Class Places and Spaces Bus Tour.
I've posted a little on this tour, but would like to include the tour schedule below. I'm excited that the tour has passed its capacity requirement, and we're looking forward to a fun, educational, and reflective day.
The tour schedule:
9.00. Board bus MTU Student Development Complex
9.15. Arrive Dodgeville Temperance Society Hall
10.00. Arrive South Range Hall
10.45. Arrive Kansankoti Hall/Tyomies site
11.30. Arrive Osceola Mine fire site
12.00. Arrive Keweenaw National Historical Park Calumet Visitors Center
12.45-1.30. Lunch on own
1.30. Meet outside Michigan House walk to Italian Hall site for preliminary interpretation
2.00. Italian Hall site ceremony
3.00. End tour at Italian Hall site, stay at Calumet Days, or take bus back to SDC
And, in true working class fashion, instead of the plush tour buses being used by other tours, we'll be using a sturdy, yellow school bus to take us around to these sites.
2) Hanka Day at FinnFest, Friday, June 21, 2013
I volunteer at the Hanka Finnish Immigrant Homestead Museum in Askel, Michigan, and we have a hum-dinger of a time planned. I'll be taking tickets for entrance to the homestead at the old wooden gate, but other volunteers and board members will be dressed as historical interpreters providing the public a glimpse of what life was like on the farm circa 1920. The day will include demonstrations by a black smith, cooking demonstrations, farm animals, music and folk dancing. Big bill if fare for the day and we are expecting anywhere from 300-400 people to visit this great historic site.
3) Saturday, June 22, 2013, presentation, "Wage-slaves and Radicals: Finnish Immigrants in the 1913-14 Copper Strike"
This presentation will highlight the extraordinary part Finns played in the Michigan Copper Strike, and will also include relevant new research on Italian Hall.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Finns in Michigan Goes to Delta County
I just came back from giving a talk about the book Finns in Michigan to folks at the Delta County Historical Society. The members of the historical society were nice enough to invite me to their annual dinner meeting, and I presented to a group of about 70 or so on the unique history of the Finns in Michigan. The people asked great questions during the presentation, the dinner was amazing, and the location was incredible. The talk was held at Gladstone's famous Terrance Bay Inn right on Lake Michigan.
I'm always amazed at the "legs" Finns in Michigan has, it just keeps going--through no work of my own, admittedly.
Delta County is a great place to talk about the Finns in Michigan, primarily for one reason--Rock or Maple Ridge Township. The Rock Hall, owned at one time by Finns associated with the Industrial Workers of the World or "Wobblies," is one of the best examples of a rural social hall, and a physical link with the incredible history of organizational activity in the Finnish immigrant population. In its heyday Rock, and the Maple Ridge area, was alive with the sound of working-class activism and politics, and the Maple Ridge Workers Hall (as it was known) and the community's co-op were seats of great community pride and ideology in action.
I also had the chance to talk about oral history work I did with Escanaba resident Vienna Laine. Vienna is a treasure in the Finnish American community, and had donated a wealth of materials on Finnish American legend Viola Turpeinen to the Finnish American Historical Archive and Museum. Vienna has an incredible mind and shared great memories of growing up in area logging camps, recalled stories she had heard about Michigan and Florida Finns, and had a number of museum pieces that added to the cultural history of Finns and their deep connection to music, specifically polka or accordion music.
It was truly a pleasure to talk with the folks of the Delta County Historical Society.
I'm always amazed at the "legs" Finns in Michigan has, it just keeps going--through no work of my own, admittedly.
Delta County is a great place to talk about the Finns in Michigan, primarily for one reason--Rock or Maple Ridge Township. The Rock Hall, owned at one time by Finns associated with the Industrial Workers of the World or "Wobblies," is one of the best examples of a rural social hall, and a physical link with the incredible history of organizational activity in the Finnish immigrant population. In its heyday Rock, and the Maple Ridge area, was alive with the sound of working-class activism and politics, and the Maple Ridge Workers Hall (as it was known) and the community's co-op were seats of great community pride and ideology in action.
I also had the chance to talk about oral history work I did with Escanaba resident Vienna Laine. Vienna is a treasure in the Finnish American community, and had donated a wealth of materials on Finnish American legend Viola Turpeinen to the Finnish American Historical Archive and Museum. Vienna has an incredible mind and shared great memories of growing up in area logging camps, recalled stories she had heard about Michigan and Florida Finns, and had a number of museum pieces that added to the cultural history of Finns and their deep connection to music, specifically polka or accordion music.
It was truly a pleasure to talk with the folks of the Delta County Historical Society.
New Chapter in Finnish in the United States Book
I've been given the chance to write a chapter in the book that is being calling the definitive history of Finns in North America. The title of the book, Finns in the United States: A History of Settlement, Dissent, and Integration, is being edited by Dr. Auvo Kostiainen, who lives and works in Turku, Finland.
I'm truly honored to be a part of this publication as I've been collaborating with some of the names I've grown up reading in the study of Finnish American history. In addition to Auvo, Dr. Arnold Alanen, Dr. Jon Saari, Dr. Peter Kivisto, and a host of others are contributing to the book.
My chapter in the book was a bit of a surprise for me to write, however. When initially approached I thought I was going to be writing something about labor history or perhaps leftist history, but I was asked to write the chapter on religion. This was a unique challenge for me, and although I wrote about religious groups in Finns in Michigan, it was not a topic that I was well-versed in from an academic or scholarly viewpoint.
So, in talking with Auvo, and in thinking about what I might contribute to the scholarship on the religion of the Finns in the United States, I decided that I wanted to bring a historical materialist perspective to the writing on Finnish religion in America. This is a new perspective, and the book is about bringing new perspectives to the study of Finns in the US.
It is also a perspective that will likely be disliked by some as I approach religion not through religious doctrine or by an ecclesiastical foundation; instead I look at religion through politics, economics, and power relations. In thinking about what I could contribute to the discussion of Finns' religious life in America, I noticed that there was not much critical thought regarding this history. With the exception of Douglas Ollila's work, much of the religious history of Finns was celebratory, a who's who of Finnish pastors, or essentially linked with religious scripture.
I chose to write a secular history.
And, it is a secular history that is perhaps what has been missing from the discussion of Finns and religion in the United States. This perspective is also perhaps one with the least preference to the great number of denominations that exist in Finnish North American religious life. Without a doubt, if someone affiliated with the Suomi Synod (now the ELCA) would have wrote this history, it would have likely been biased toward that organization. The same is true for other denominations such as those affiliated the Apostolic, Laestadian, or National (Missouri Synod) churches. Having someone who is essentially a third party, me, write the book shifts bias from institutional bodies to a general look at how religion functioned on the whole for immigrants and their institutions in America.
It is not a conventional history of religion to say the least, but it is one that might supplement the other quite good histories of other groups that have undertaken the very complex chronicling of Finnish American religious life.
I'm truly honored to be a part of this publication as I've been collaborating with some of the names I've grown up reading in the study of Finnish American history. In addition to Auvo, Dr. Arnold Alanen, Dr. Jon Saari, Dr. Peter Kivisto, and a host of others are contributing to the book.
My chapter in the book was a bit of a surprise for me to write, however. When initially approached I thought I was going to be writing something about labor history or perhaps leftist history, but I was asked to write the chapter on religion. This was a unique challenge for me, and although I wrote about religious groups in Finns in Michigan, it was not a topic that I was well-versed in from an academic or scholarly viewpoint.
So, in talking with Auvo, and in thinking about what I might contribute to the scholarship on the religion of the Finns in the United States, I decided that I wanted to bring a historical materialist perspective to the writing on Finnish religion in America. This is a new perspective, and the book is about bringing new perspectives to the study of Finns in the US.
It is also a perspective that will likely be disliked by some as I approach religion not through religious doctrine or by an ecclesiastical foundation; instead I look at religion through politics, economics, and power relations. In thinking about what I could contribute to the discussion of Finns' religious life in America, I noticed that there was not much critical thought regarding this history. With the exception of Douglas Ollila's work, much of the religious history of Finns was celebratory, a who's who of Finnish pastors, or essentially linked with religious scripture.
I chose to write a secular history.
And, it is a secular history that is perhaps what has been missing from the discussion of Finns and religion in the United States. This perspective is also perhaps one with the least preference to the great number of denominations that exist in Finnish North American religious life. Without a doubt, if someone affiliated with the Suomi Synod (now the ELCA) would have wrote this history, it would have likely been biased toward that organization. The same is true for other denominations such as those affiliated the Apostolic, Laestadian, or National (Missouri Synod) churches. Having someone who is essentially a third party, me, write the book shifts bias from institutional bodies to a general look at how religion functioned on the whole for immigrants and their institutions in America.
It is not a conventional history of religion to say the least, but it is one that might supplement the other quite good histories of other groups that have undertaken the very complex chronicling of Finnish American religious life.
Monday, January 28, 2013
FinnFest 2013 Guided Tour
FinnFest 2013 being held in Hancock, Michigan, is quickly approaching. Thousands are expected to be converging on the Copper Country for the event. As part of the event, I'm giving a guided tour of Finnish American Working Class Places and Spaces. Info about this tour and others available is on the FinnFest web site: http://finnfestusa2013.org/tours.
Below is the description of the tour. Later I'll give more information on the specifics of the tour: stops, time, information covered, etc.
Below is the description of the tour. Later I'll give more information on the specifics of the tour: stops, time, information covered, etc.
Thursday, June 20—Finnish American Working Class Places and Spaces 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Tour begins and ends at MTU’s Student Development Complex Pre-registration required. Cost $20 (lunch on your own in Calumet) 20 min. and 40 max. attendance. There is an option to stay in Calumet after tour stops for FinnFest’s Calumet Day if preferred. Shuttle bus will return those who stay in Calumet. Finnish immigrants helped to shape much of the Upper Peninsula’s strong working-class heritage. The struggle they encountered in building America, forming immigrant working-class organizations, and challenging the copper bosses is a remarkable testament to the power an immigrant people can have in shaping new lives in a New World. Though most of those immigrant voices have passed, many of the places and spaces they inhabited remain. This historical tour will link the voices of working-class Finns and the significant structures and landscapes they forged with sweat and sacrifice. Tour stops include the South Range Hall, the site of the former Kansankoti Hall, mining landscapes, the Keweenaw National Historical Park’s Visitor Center, the Italian Hall Memorial site, and graves of Finnish immigrant people who died in Italian Hall at Lake View Cemetery. Labor and immigration historian Gary Kaunonen, author of two books on Michigan’s working-class Finns and co-author of a new book on the 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike and Italian Hall tragedy, will lead this tour.
Monday, July 23, 2012
A New Book or Two
Greetings to those of you interested in Finnish American labor history. It has been a long time since my last post, but as with many of you, I've been busy fighting the "Bosses" and doing other daily tasks.
Much of my time has been taken up with a new book that Aaron Goings and I are writing on the 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike. Please have a gander at this blog link and be sure to check that for updates and information often: http://www.1913copperstrike.blogspot.com/.
Secondly, I had the opportunity to write a chapter for a Finnish and Finnish North American collection of labor histories from Finn Forum IX titled, Labouring Finns: Transnational Politics in Finland, Canada, and the United States. A link to the snippet view of the book's contents: http://lakeheadu.academia.edu/MichelSBeaulieu/Books/1270043/Labouring_Finns_Transnational_Politics_in_Finland_Canada_and_the_United_States.
The title of the chapter I wrote is, "Forging a Unique Solidarity: Finnish Immigrant Socialists and the Early 20th Century Socialist Party of America."
The book is a great edition of labor histories from scholars in the various countries and was edited by Michele Beaulieu, Ron Harpelle, and Jami Penny of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay Canada. The Institute of Migration in Turku, Finland, published the book. This is a link to their "products" page: http://www.migrationinstitute.fi/netshop/products.php?p=0c2b56.
Solidaarisuus aina!
Much of my time has been taken up with a new book that Aaron Goings and I are writing on the 1913-14 Michigan Copper Strike. Please have a gander at this blog link and be sure to check that for updates and information often: http://www.1913copperstrike.blogspot.com/.
Secondly, I had the opportunity to write a chapter for a Finnish and Finnish North American collection of labor histories from Finn Forum IX titled, Labouring Finns: Transnational Politics in Finland, Canada, and the United States. A link to the snippet view of the book's contents: http://lakeheadu.academia.edu/MichelSBeaulieu/Books/1270043/Labouring_Finns_Transnational_Politics_in_Finland_Canada_and_the_United_States.
The title of the chapter I wrote is, "Forging a Unique Solidarity: Finnish Immigrant Socialists and the Early 20th Century Socialist Party of America."
The book is a great edition of labor histories from scholars in the various countries and was edited by Michele Beaulieu, Ron Harpelle, and Jami Penny of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay Canada. The Institute of Migration in Turku, Finland, published the book. This is a link to their "products" page: http://www.migrationinstitute.fi/netshop/products.php?p=0c2b56.
Solidaarisuus aina!
Monday, January 17, 2011
A Review from a Michigan Source
From Great Lakes Echo at http://greatlakesecho.org/2011/01/11/two-books-highlight-michigans-copper-mining-culture.
Meanwhile, Gary Kaunonen, a graduate student at MTU, takes a different approach to mining in the U.P.
He focuses on the immigrants from Finland who, with others from elsewhere in Europe, worked in the mines, and the strife between labor and management.
Michigan State University Press, $39.95
“Challenge Accepted: A Finnish Immigrant Response to Industrial America in Michigan’s Copper Country” (Michigan State University Press, $39.95) culminates with a bitter 1913-14 strike that the mine owners won.
Almost a century later, the strike is most remembered for tragedy, not for the underlying conflict over unionization and the Finnish workers’ socialist philosophy. That tragedy killed almost 80 people at a crowded Christmas Eve party for multiethnic strikers and their families at Italian Hall in Calumet.
The victims were trampled to death when someone believed to be a management provocateur who falsely yelled “fire” at the party.
“The Italian Hall Disaster,” Kaunonen writes, “brought incredible misery to thousands of people.
“Because of the number of `Finns’ involved with striking factions, persons of Finnish ethnicity were especially affected by the sorrowful events.”
Meanwhile, Gary Kaunonen, a graduate student at MTU, takes a different approach to mining in the U.P.
He focuses on the immigrants from Finland who, with others from elsewhere in Europe, worked in the mines, and the strife between labor and management.
Michigan State University Press, $39.95
“Challenge Accepted: A Finnish Immigrant Response to Industrial America in Michigan’s Copper Country” (Michigan State University Press, $39.95) culminates with a bitter 1913-14 strike that the mine owners won.
Almost a century later, the strike is most remembered for tragedy, not for the underlying conflict over unionization and the Finnish workers’ socialist philosophy. That tragedy killed almost 80 people at a crowded Christmas Eve party for multiethnic strikers and their families at Italian Hall in Calumet.
The victims were trampled to death when someone believed to be a management provocateur who falsely yelled “fire” at the party.
“The Italian Hall Disaster,” Kaunonen writes, “brought incredible misery to thousands of people.
“Because of the number of `Finns’ involved with striking factions, persons of Finnish ethnicity were especially affected by the sorrowful events.”
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Challenge Accepted Wins Historical Society of Michigan Book Award
On stage accepting the award 
MSU-Press display with Challenge Accepted at the Conference
Book award from Historical Society of Michigan
Historical Society of Michigan's Gold Seal Book Award on Challenge Accepted cover As some of you may have already heard, Challenge Accepted, published by Michigan State University Press, won a Historical Society of Michigan 2010 book award (along with Larry Lankton's book Hollowed Ground.)
Although an author's name is on the front cover, as I have come to find out, a book is a very collective undertaking and Challenge Accepted was certainly such a collective undertaking.
To all of you that have advised, edited, translated, helped, employed, funded research, or have shown an interest in the work...I would like to offer a big thank you for your efforts and work.
I don't see the award so much as an individual thing (though I must begrudgingly admit I was pretty excited), rather I see it as recognition of: the great amount of work done by MSU-Press, the important place of Copper Country history in Michigan, Michigan Tech's outstanding record of scholarship, and the Finnish American working class contribution to the building of Michigan.
The award was quite a surprise, a very welcome surprise, which would never have occurred without the help and support from you folks.
For reference, the Historical Society of Michigan announcement of the award listing Larry Lankton's Hollowed Ground and Challenge Accepted is pasted below:
Society Presents 2010 State History Awards in Frankenmuth
FRANKENMUTH—The Historical Society of Michigan presented its 2010 State History Awards at the 136 th Annual Meeting and State History Conference held October 15-17 in Frankenmuth. The awards were presented at the annual awards reception and banquet on Friday evening. The State History Awards are the highest recognition presented by the state’s official historical society.
Fifteen awards were presented this year in a variety of categories including Publications: University and Commercial Press, Publications: Private Printing, Media, Communications, Educational Programs, Restoration/Preservation, Distinguished Volunteer Service, Special Programs and Events, and Lifetime Achievement.
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Although an author's name is on the front cover, as I have come to find out, a book is a very collective undertaking and Challenge Accepted was certainly such a collective undertaking.
To all of you that have advised, edited, translated, helped, employed, funded research, or have shown an interest in the work...I would like to offer a big thank you for your efforts and work.
I don't see the award so much as an individual thing (though I must begrudgingly admit I was pretty excited), rather I see it as recognition of: the great amount of work done by MSU-Press, the important place of Copper Country history in Michigan, Michigan Tech's outstanding record of scholarship, and the Finnish American working class contribution to the building of Michigan.
The award was quite a surprise, a very welcome surprise, which would never have occurred without the help and support from you folks.
For reference, the Historical Society of Michigan announcement of the award listing Larry Lankton's Hollowed Ground and Challenge Accepted is pasted below:
Society Presents 2010 State History Awards in Frankenmuth
FRANKENMUTH—The Historical Society of Michigan presented its 2010 State History Awards at the 136 th Annual Meeting and State History Conference held October 15-17 in Frankenmuth. The awards were presented at the annual awards reception and banquet on Friday evening. The State History Awards are the highest recognition presented by the state’s official historical society.
Fifteen awards were presented this year in a variety of categories including Publications: University and Commercial Press, Publications: Private Printing, Media, Communications, Educational Programs, Restoration/Preservation, Distinguished Volunteer Service, Special Programs and Events, and Lifetime Achievement.
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Four books were recognized with State History Awards in the Publications: University and Commercial Press category.
The first, Larry Lankton’s “Hollowed Ground” published by Wayne State University Press, chronicles a key part of the Upper Peninsula’s history in recent times—the copper mining industry. The volume concentrates on the beginnings of the three major corporations that came to dominate the industry by 1900, the various mines and the company towns that grew up around them, miner/management relations, and the decline of the major corporations ending with the White Pine mining operation near Ontonagon.
The second book to receive a State History Award in this category was Charles K. Hyde’s “Storied Independent Automakers” published by Wayne State University Press. In this text, Hyde explores the history of the Nash and Hudson car companies which eventually merged in 1954 to form the American Motors Company. More than 90 color photos of restored automobiles as well as brochures, period literature, factory photos, and road test information appear in this volume.
Paul Taylor’s “Orlando Poe: Civil War General and Great Lakes Engineer” published by Kent State University Press was the third recipient in this category. “Orlando Poe” chronicles the life of one of the most influential and yet unrecognized soldiers of the American Civil War. Poe commanded the 2 nd Michigan Infantry during the Peninsular Campaign, and the Civil War era serves as a backdrop for the book. Taylor also documents Poe’s post-war career, in which he supervised the design and construction of numerous lighthouses as well as the largest shipping lock in the world at Sault Ste. Marie.
The fourth book to receive an award in the University and Commercial Press category was Gary Kaunonen’s “Challenge Accepted: A Finnish Immigrant Response to Industrial America in Michigan’s Copper Country” published by Michigan State University Press. As Kaunonen noted in his work, Finns were the largest single ethnic classification in the copper mines and were often treated like the lowest rung of the ethnic ladder. Strong personalities often competed and conflicted in their goals and methods and followings. This volume is a worthy addition to the study of Pre-World War I Copper Country and Michigan history.
The Historical Society of Michigan, which administers the State History Awards, is the state's oldest cultural organization. Founded in 1828 by Lewis Cass and Henry Schoolcraft, it is an independent non-profit dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Michigan's historical
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