Travels in America, 1851-1855: Front Cover

In this document from the Swedish-American Historical Book Collection at North Park University, Swede Rosalie Roos writes of her travels in the southern United States during the early 1850s. She used the trip to test the strength of her independent spirit, as well as the American Dream. Her diaries and letters home over the course of the four years spent in South Carolina were forgotten for many years but discovered and extracts published in the late 20th century by her granddaughter.

In 1852 Rosalie obtained a position as a teacher of French and music at the girls’ school in Limestone, a town near Charleston where she was then living. She found it intimidating to “teach one foreign language in yet another,” often staying up until 11:30 to study the next day’s lessons. (p.47) Regardless, it was an enjoyable experience, and she reveled in discovering everything about life in the New World –good and bad. Considering how disappointed she was in the stifling social conformity for women in Sweden, it is no surprise that Rosalie was disgusted by the display of impractical yet socially mandated fashions worn in this new place, as well as the prohibition of any activities deemed frivolous on Sundays. “Dressing is for that matter the only thing they are allowed to enjoy on Sundays since reading, playing, dancing, or any sort of handwork is forbidden. Some of them dress three times a day—interesting!” (p.49)

Rosalie’s travels in America sparked her belief that women could have better lives if only someone would fight laws and social convention. After her return to Sweden she married, which gave her opportunities she would not have had as a single woman. This paved the way for her activism in areas of women’s higher education and legal and social status, nursing care, the care of children with disabilities, and housing for working people. She also helped co-found the Swedish Red Cross. Rosalie Roos became one of the three most important feminists in Swedish history.

Written by Julia Thompson, Library Specialist, Western Illinois University

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