Svenska Folkets Tidning

Svenska Folkets Tidning was a successful Minneapolis-based newspaper in publication from 1881 to 1927. It provided Swedish Americans with news from around the world but especially from Sweden, the greater United States, and Minnesota, all in the Swedish language.

Launched on October 5, 1881 by the Swedish American Publishing Company of Minneapolis, Svenska Folkets Tidning was quickly popular among the Swedish-American community in the Twin Cities. The officers of the publishing company at the time were president Victor Berggren, treasurer P. J. E. Clementson, and secretary Alfred Soderstrom. Magnus Lunnow was the first editor. Before he joined Svenska Folkets Tidning he had served as the editor of two other Swedish American newspapers: the Minnesota Stats Tidning and the Svenska tribunen.

The weekly newspaper attracted 3,000 subscribers during its first three months; by the second year of publication, its subscriptions had tripled. Important early contributors to the paper included notable Swedish American Minnesotans like Governor John Lind, Colonel Hans Mattson, and Albert Berg. Swan Turnblad of Svenska Amerikanska Posten worked as a typesetter in the early years of Svenska Folkets Tidning. The paper tended to be comparatively progressive and liberal, commenting on news and leading questions of the day with a moderate tone.

In 1883, the paper was sold by the Swedish American Publishing Company to the three principal workers: Soderstrom, Lunnow, and Olaf Hoglund. In 1889, the Tribune Building that housed the Svenska Folkets Tidning was destroyed in a fire. Since their insurance policy had expired, the disaster resulted in a total loss to the owners. The paper fell into the hands of the newly incorporated Swedish Printing Company of Minnesota, which ensured it had up-to-date printing equipment, an enlarged plant, and increased financial support. During this time, Svenska Folkets Tidning also merged with two other Swedish American newspapers: the Iowa Svithiod and the New York Bifrost.

In 1908, Svenska Folkets Tidning was purchased from shareholders by A. G. Johnson, who also served as an editor after he bought the paper. Both Johnson and the manager of the paper, Carl Ekman, contributed to its success during these years, which brought increased circulation and advertising sales.

Johnson died in 1924. In 1927, the paper was absorbed by the Svenska Amerikanska Posten; it published its last issue on August 25.