Val Bjornson

American politician (1906–1987)

K. Valdimar Bjornson, known in politics as Val Bjornson, in his 20s.

Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson (August 29, 1906 – March 10, 1987) was an American writer, newspaper editor, and politician who served as the State Treasurer of Minnesota for more than two decades.^[1]

Bjornson was born in Minneota, Minnesota of Icelandic descent.^[2] In World War II, he served in Navy intelligence, stationed in Iceland.^[3] Besides English, he was fluent in Icelandic, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian.^[4]

He was part owner of the Minneota Mascot newspaper and an associate editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press.^[5]

Running as the Republican candidate in the 1954 United States Senate elections, Bjornson lost to Hubert Humphrey, with whom he sometimes shared a car to travel around the state.^[6]

Bjornson died in Minneapolis on March 10, 1987.^[7] The University of Minnesota, his alma mater, and the University of Iceland have a student exchange scholarship named in his honor.^[8]

Bibliography

Bjornson, Val (1969). The History of Minnesota. West Palm Beach, Florida: Lewis Historical Publishing.

References

1. "Val Bjornson". The New York Times. March 12, 1987. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
2. CQ Weekly Report, Volume 12, page 1040. Congressional Quarterly, 1954
3. "Iceland Minnesota". Archived from the original on 2010-06-21. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
4. "National Affairs: Who Won". Time. September 27, 1954. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
5. "Craving some quiet".
6. "Column: Thoughts of Val Bjornson, and a Worthington visit | Worthington Daily Globe | Worthington, Minnesota". www.dglobe.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011.
7. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Bishoprick to Blacey".
8. "News & Events".