The Symra Literary Society: Continuity and Change 1905-2025 by Marvin G. Slind

In 1905, local publishers and intellectual leaders in Decorah, Iowa, founded a Norwegian literary journal, “Symra.” Named after a Norwegian wildflower, it was intended to serve as a focus for literary life in Norwegian America.

The journal was well received, and by 1907, members of Decorah’s Norwegian community had formed a group to support it: the Symra Literary Society. Although the journal only remained in print for a decade, the literary society will be celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2027. While much has changed, the group’s focus remains to support the understanding of Nordic culture and intellectual life.

The Symra Literary Society: Continuity and Change, 1905 – 2025, provides a brief overview of the group’s history. Drawing on census records, published secondary works, members’ reminiscences, and especially Symra’s organizational records, it follows key developments in the group’s past, illustrating how it maintained many of its traditions, while also adapting to new conditions in American society.

Softcover.