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The First Icelandic Newspapers

The first Icelandic newspaper produced in North America appeared in 1876. It was a handwritten newspaper called Nýi Þjóðólfur. Its editor, Jón Guðmundsson, circulated the paper by visiting individual households in New Iceland or by reading the paper aloud to large crowds. Nýi Þjóðólfur lasted just a handful of issues. What the New Icelanders really craved was a printed paper.

 

A vintage printed certificate from the Prentsfélag Nýja Íslands, with the title Munabrjef í Prentsfélagi Nýja Íslands centered at the top. The document includes a decorative label marked No. and features Icelandic text in a serif font. There are handwritten elements on the lines indicating names and values. The paper is slightly yellowed with age and shows a few brown spots. The signature line at the bottom is signed by the managing board representative, and the certificate is dated in Gimli.

Share certificate for the New Iceland Printing Society

In January 1877, a group of New Icelanders created the New Iceland Printing Company. It was financed through company shares priced at $10 per share. Sigtryggur Jónasson, Jóhann Briem, and Friðjón Friðriksson formed the company’s board of directors. They acquired a printing press from Minneapolis with the help of Reverend Jón Bjarnason. The press was housed in a log cabin in the settlement of Lundi, which was later renamed Riverton.

 

A page of newsprint faded with age featuring three narrow columns of text printed in black ink. The title, Framfari, is printed in a large gothic font at the top of the page.

The first issue of Framfari

The first issue of the newspaper Framfari was published on September 10, 1877. Halldór Briem was hired as editor, but Sigtryggur oversaw the first eight issues in Halldór’s absence. Its stated aim was to help preserve the Icelandic language in North America. Framfari published three issues a month. Its contents ranged from local, national, and international news to articles about agricultural practices; from translations of official government notices to creative writing.

 

A clipping from a newspaper of a black and white photo of a group of elderly people standing in front of a log cabin. Some are standing and some are seated. One woman is spinning wool.

A reconstructed log cabin in New Iceland much like the cabin in which Framfari was first printed

In late 1877, a major dispute surfaced in New Iceland over the direction of the Lutheran church. It pitted Reverends Jón Bjarnason and Páll Þorláksson against one another. Framfari’s editors predictably sided with Rev. Jón who had helped them acquire a printing press. In turn, many of Rev. Páll’s followers withdrew their support from Framfari. No small number of his supporters even followed Rev. Páll when he moved south to Pembina County, Dakota in 1880.

 

A handwritten ledger with two facing pages and columns carefully organized with ruled lines and neat penmanship in Icelandic.

Membership dues ledger for the New Iceland Printing Society.

The religious dispute and the departure of many settlers from the colony worsened Framfari’s existing financial difficulties. At its highest point, the number of Framfari subscribers was approximately 600, half of which were in Iceland. Its final issue appeared on April 10, 1880. Icelanders in North America had to wait more than three years for another local Icelandic newspaper.

 

A scan of the first issue of Leifur. The paper’s title is bold at the top, with volume and issue information beneath. The page contains dense, closely set columns of Icelandic text. A purple oval stamp appears in the top-left corner.

The first issue of Leifur

On May 5, 1883, the first issue of Framfari’s successor, Leifur, appeared. It was named after the Viking explorer Leifur (or Leif) the Lucky. Leifur’s founder and editor was Helgi Jónsson. The four page weekly paper was based in the rapidly growing city of Winnipeg, which was quickly becoming the “Icelandic capital” of North America.

 

Many readers welcomed Leifur. The poet Guttormur J. Guttormsson recalled how his parents “treated Helgi as royalty.” Others were highly critical of Helgi’s inexperience and his writing style. The physical quality of the paper and printing were also viewed negatively in comparison with Framfari. Leifur’s final issue appeared on June 4, 1886. In the end, Helgi managed to keep Leifur afloat for more than three years. However, his paper is not as well-known today as Framfari.

The Icelanders Arrive Two Icelandic Weeklies