Estonian Archive and Research Symposium at the Immigration History Research Center in Minneapolis

May 9, 2013

Researching and Archiving the Estonians in America. A joint symposium of the Immigration History Research Center and Baltic Heritage Network on May 15th, 2013 (1210 Heller Hall).

The symposium will bring interested parties together to share their experience, expertise and ideas as well as map and discuss future scenarios for growth, development and cooperation in researching and archiving the Estonians in America. Proposals are invited on (but not limited to) the following topics: archiving, history, cultural studies, literary studies, musicology, sociology.

The Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota is home to the largest collection of archival materials about Estonians in the United States. It has become a popular destination for diaspora scholars and archivist alike.

Baltic Heritage Network (est. 2008) is a non-profit with a mission to foster cooperation between national and private archives, museums, libraries, institutions of research, public associations and organizations collecting and studying the cultural heritage of the global Baltic diaspora.

Free admission.

Please register online at www.eventbrite.com/event/6342214735

Schedule

8.30: Registration

9.00: Opening remarks by Erika Lee, Director of the Immigration History Research Center, Kris Kiesling, Director of Archives and Special Collections, Enda-Mai Holland-Michelson, Director of the Estonian Archive in the US, Maarja Merivoo-Parro, Board Member of Baltic Heritage Network
9.30: Keynote speaker Piret Noorhani – Communities, Culture and Heritage of the Estonian Diaspora in the Year of Cultural Heritage 2013
10.30: Peeter Väljas, Aet Tõnissoo – Common Interest and Joint Efforts: Co-operation of Immigration History Research Center, Estonian National Archives and Baltic Heritage Network in Researching and Archiving the Estonians in America – Past, Present and Perspectives

11.00: Break

11.30: Daniel Necas – Estonian American collection at the IHRC Archives: From humble beginnings to a great resource
12.00: Liisi Eglit – Estonia and Estonians as a Research Subject at Stanford University: an Overview of Sources and Projects of Stanford University Libraries and Hoover Institution

12.30: Lunch and tour of IHRC

14.30: Maarja Merivoo-Parro – Narrating ethnicity and the diasporic condition: a researchers perspective on American Estonian history
15.00: Ben Maegi – What Can Estonian Immigration Teach Us About U.S. Immigration History?
15.30: Kalju Kubits – Growing Up as an Estonian in Minnesota

16.00: Discussion

17.00: ROOM 90 FERGUSON HALL 17.00 Kelley Sundin (and performers) Estonian Choral Music: A source of National and Cultural Identity

Contact: ihrc@umn.edu