How Long Should It Take Immigrants to Assimilate?

Clark Kilgard

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Feb 10, 2019

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Immigration is controversial these days. I hear sentiments that suggest that newcomers to the United States do not assimilate as quickly as some folks would like. For example, they still converse primarily in their native language. Some celebrate their national heritage and display their home country’s flag. Another objection is the often false assumption that they are a burden on public services. These are given as reasons to limit immigration or even suggest that these folks return to their native land and are not welcome. So I thought I would share some things about a little town I have lived in or near most of my adult life.

Cedar Falls, Iowa attracted numerous Danish immigrants between the 1870’s to the early 20th century. Some left Denmark after 1865, when Germany acquired the formerly Danish territories of Jutland and Slesvig. Many in these territories preferred immigrating to the U.S rather than remaining under German rule. This also was a period of less stringent rules for immigrants that arrived on US shores. Many used the Homestead Act or other generous land policies to own their own land and homes in the United States.

The newly arrived immigrants soon set up their own churches and clubs. Popular Danish societies included the Danish Brotherhood and Sisterhood, and the Lyren Society. Nazareth and Bethlehem Lutheran Churches are Danish in background and so is Saint Ansgar Lutheran Church in nearby Waterloo. The facade of Saint Ansgar’s echos the common architecture of Danish churches.

The Danes also opened businesses in downtown Cedar Falls and in neighborhoods. Danish became a common language spoken in downtown, many local stores reportedly made sure to have at least one employee who spoke it. Many Danes came to Cedar Falls due to the popularity of the Dannevirke newspaper, a Danish language paper that was published as late as 1951.

The use of the Danish language in Cedar Falls faded out by the late 1930’s. Do the math, it had about a 70 year run! Although the language was no longer widely spoken, local Danes remembered their heritage and celebrated it with the Cedar Falls Danish Days. A group called the Cedar Valley Danes carries on the tradition, even going as far as displaying Danish flags and speaking a word of Dansk now and again.

So, one wonders why the public memory of such things is so short. Since the Danes maintained their language and customs and took advantage of government benefits, were these folks greeted with the same animosity as many treat today’s newcomers? I think not. Could there be some other reason that recent immigrants, especially those from Latin America, illicit these negative responses? I think and fear that might be so.