The True Patriot
Cultural pride has long been part of the Syttende Mai story in North Dakota—but a closer look at the 1906 celebration in Grand Forks reveals how easily it can stray into exclusion. Future senator Asle Gronne’s remarks from that day are a mix of admiration and bigotry, reflecting the complex—and sometimes contradictory—legacy of ethnic identity in America. Yet amid troubling rhetoric, there were also voices calling for art, intellect, and shared values to guide the immigrant experience. This essay from Tom Isern with Prairie Public News explores both sides of that legacy as a reminder in our own time.
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