This blog post is part of a series of posts in honor of the Society’s 75th Anniversary.
Publication of the Swedish-American Historical Quarterly (previously named the Swedish Pioneer Historical Quarterly until 1982) has been one of the Society’s most consistent publication efforts in its 75 years of history. The Quarterly began in 1950, two years after the Society’s founding, with an initial issue of just 32 pages. It has grown since then, and has become the single best source of information about the great Swedish migration to North America, and the Swedish presence in America.
Editors typically have determined the content of each issue of the Quarterly, solicited and edited articles, worked with the Associate and Book Review Editor to solicit and place book reviews, compiled news items, and often wrote an introduction to each issue of the Quarterly.
Only eight people have served as editors of the Quarterly over this almost-75 year history of the journal. They are:
- Paul A. Varg, 1950-58
- E. Gustav Johnson, 1958-67
- Franklin D. Scott, 1967-74
- H. Arnold Barton, 1974-90
- Raymond Jarvi, 1991-96
- Byron J. Nordstrom, 1997-2015
- Kevin Proescholdt, 2016-2020
- Mark Safstrom, 2021-2023
Paul A. Varg was on the history faculty at Ohio State University from 1946 to 1958. He joined the history faculty at Michigan State University in 1958, serving until 1981.
E. Gustav Johnson was professor of English and Swedish at North Park College for 28 years, He wrote numerous articles and reviews for the Swedish Pioneer Historical Quarterly.
Franklin D. Scott, a preeminent historian of Sweden and Swedish America, served as a professor of history at Northwestern University in Evanston.
H. Arnold Barton was a professor of history at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. A prolific scholar, Arnold authored many books on Sweden and Swedish America.
Raymond Jarvi taught most of his career at North Park University in Chicago as associate professor of Swedish. He wrote, edited, and translated numerous articles and books.
Byron Nordstrom set the record for longevity as editor of the Quarterly, serving 19 years from 1997-2015. He taught history at Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota.
Kevin Proescholdt has had a long career in wilderness conservation with environmental organizations, and maintains a strong interest in early Swedish settlements in Iowa.
Mark Safstrom is the current editor of the Quarterly. The author of several books, he serves as an associate professor of Scandinavian Studies at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.
