Hermana Rye Haugan papers, 1893-1972

Biography/History: 
Hermana Rye Haugan was a dedicated community leader and advocate for Norwegian-American causes in Chicago, particularly during the years leading up to and following World War II. She played a prominent role in organizing relief efforts for Norway during and after the war. One of her key contributions was serving as Secretary of the Chicago Working Center for Norway, a sewing and knitting initiative active from 1940 to 1945, which mobilized local Norwegian-American women in support of wartime aid.

Hermana was married to Reidar Rye Haugan (1893–1972), who was born in Trondheim and emigrated to the United States around 1920. After working for newspapers in North Dakota, he moved to Chicago, where he joined the editorial staff of Skandinaven. Following the death of editor N. A. Grevstad in 1940, Reidar became editor-in-chief until the paper ceased publication in 1941. He then co-founded the Viking newspaper with John Lindrup, a publication that served the Norwegian-American community until it was succeeded by Vinland, under Bertram Jensenius, in 1958. For his contributions to journalism and the preservation of Norwegian heritage, Haugan was awarded the St. Olaf Medal by the King of Norway.

Scope and Content: 
Papers of a Chicago woman, widow of the journalist and editor Reidar Rye Haugan. Mrs. Haugan was active in the Norwegian organizations in Chicago and was a leader in relief work for Norway during and after World War II. Haugan's papers reflect her deep engagement with Norwegian cultural and humanitarian efforts. They include correspondence from notable literary figures, such as a letter from Sigrid Undset regarding speaking engagements in Chicago for Norwegian Relief, and a letter from Johan Bojer to her husband, Reidar. The collection also includes materials for Reidar Rye Haugan. 

Existence and Location of Copies:
Digital copies of the Hermana Rye Haugan papers are available through the Digital Collections of the Norwegian American Historical Association website: https://norwegianamericanhistory.org/digital-collections/collections/show/158. Digitization was completed in 2024-2025.

Funding:
Funding to digitize the Camp Little Norway Association, Inc. papers was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processing Information:
Finding aid revised by Kristina Warner in August 2025.