New exhibition opens on April 11 at The House of Emigrants, Växjö, Sweden
“Hooverville” was the name of the shantytowns that emerged in American cities during the Great Depression in the 1930s, an allusion to President Herbert Hoover and the policies considered to have contributed to the crisis.
In 1930, approximately 10,000 Swedish-born people lived in Seattle. When the Depression hit, the city was severely affected: demand for wood products, ships, and aircraft decreased, and unemployment rose to 25%. Unemployed forestry and agricultural workers—many from Sweden, Norway, and Finland—flocked to the city in hopes of finding work.
This exhibition highlights a lesser-known side of migration. Instead of stories of success, the focus is directed toward the Nordic emigrants who lived in Seattle’s shantytowns—in the shadow of the Depression. The exhibition is written by historian Hans Wallengren, associate researcher and associate professor of history at Lund University, together with author Ola Larsmo. It is produced by the Swedish Emigrant Institute in collaboration with the National Nordic Museum, Seattle, USA.
