Randolph Edgar Haugan
Randolph E. Haugan (July 31, 1902 - February 18, 1985) was an American author, editor and publisher.
Background
Randolph Edgar Haugan was born in Martell, Pierce County, Wisconsin to immigrant parents from Norway. He was the youngest child of Torgeir Halvorson Haugan (1864–1915) and Hilda Dorothea Josephine (Ehrhardt) Haugan. Rev. Torgeir Haugan was a Lutheran minister who was from Haugan near Brunkeberg, in the Kviteseid municipality of Telemark County, Norway and had immigrated to the United States during 1883. Randolph Haugan was a graduate of St. Olaf College (B. A. 1924).[1]
Career
Starting in December 1928, Haugan would hold the position of General Manager for Augsburg Publishing House until 1970. Haugan was author and editor of several Lutheran church publications. These books included summaries of the beliefs and practices as well as information relating the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.[2][3]
Haugan was knighted by King Haakon VII of Norway during World War II for his service to American Relief for Norway, Inc. of which he was Minnesota state director. Haugan was also a charter member of the Ampersander Society of Minneapolis and a contributing member of the Norwegian-American Historical Association. Additionally he served as chairman of the St. Olaf College Board of Trustees.[4][5]
Haugan is most frequently associated with Christmas: an American Annual of Christmas Literature and Art which he initiated starting in 1931 and continued editing throughout the remainder of his career. This English language edition would succeed Jul i Vesterheimen, a Norwegian language Christmas annual previously published by Augsburg Publishing. Of the several Scandinavian-American Christmas annuals, these have generally been considered the most significant.[6][7]
Selected works
- The 1924-25 Viking Yearbook (Fiftieth Anniversary) (St. Olaf College. Northfield, Minnesota. 1925)
- My Christian Faith (Augsburg Publishing. Minneapolis. 1937)
- Forward March of Faith; The Story of A Church (Augsburg Publishing. Minneapolis. 1943)
References
- ↑ Rev. Torgeir Halvorson Haugan (The American Lutheran Congregation of Oslo)
- ↑ R. E. Haugan, Editor for 50 years (St. Paul Pioneer Press, February 20, 1985)
- ↑ St. Olaf College Alumni Awards Recipients
- ↑ R. E. Haugan, publisher (Minneapolis Star and Tribune. February 20, 1985)
- ↑ College of the Church (St. Olaf College)
- ↑ The Scandinavian Immigrant Writer in America (Dorothy Burton Skardal, Norwegian-American Historic Association. Volume 21: Page 14)
- ↑ Øverland, Orm The Western Home, a Literary History of Norwegian America (published by Norwegian-American Historical Association, distributed by The University of Illinois Press, 1996. page 202)
Additional Sources
- Risley, Kristin Ann Vikings of the Midwest: Place, Culture, and Ethnicity In Norwegian-American Literature, 1870-1940 (The Ohio State University Press. Columbus, Ohio. 2003)
- Rygg, Andreas Nilsen American Relief for Norway: A Survey of American Relief Work for Norway during and after the Second World War (Arnesen Press. Chicago. 1947)
