The fifth episode of 200 Norwegians is about Andrew Furuseth.
By Fredrik Kalstveit
“You can put me in jail,” he said. “But you cannot give me narrower quarters than I’ve always had as a seaman. You cannot give me coarser food than I’ve always eaten. You cannot make me lonelier than I’ve always been.”
Gunnar Lundeberg stands outside the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific building on Rincon Hill, reading the words etched in bronze. His voice catches. It’s more than a quote. It’s a vow. And the man looming above him in statue form—Andrew Furuseth—was no ordinary labor leader. He was the labor leader. The spine of a movement. The storm in a rumpled suit. For thousands of sailors, he was the difference between dignity and despair. And for Gunnar? He was a giant.
The fifth episode of 200 Norwegians is about Andrew Furuseth—the Abraham Lincoln of the Sea. A sharp, relentless mind with a spine of iron. Born in the quiet inland hamlet of Romedal—nowhere near the ocean—he somehow became the most powerful voice for seamen’s rights in American history.
We follow that improbable rise: from timber ponds and forest trails in Norway’s heartland to the cutthroat docks of San Francisco. We sail through Norway’s golden age as a maritime power, cross oceans, round the Cape—and crash straight into the chaos of the Barbary Coast. A city where sailors were tricked, drugged, beaten, and sold. Where shipowners ruled and captains whipped with impunity. Until Furuseth arrived—and flipped the script.
You’ll hear from former union leader Gunnar Lundeberg and historian Jonas Bals.
Produced in collaboration with Vesterheim and with support from the Norway House Foundation in San Francisco, this episode tells the story of a man who rewrote the rules—and walked away without ever asking for glory.
200 Norwegians is a podcast series by Fredrik Kalstveit featuring 200 stories of Norwegians who have shaped American history over the last two centuries.
This biweekly podcast is made in conjunction with Vesterheim Museum, and with support from the Norway House Foundation in San Francisco.
Listen to episodes as they are released at the 200 Norwegian podcast website and on these podcast streaming apps:
Check Vesterheim’s blog every two weeks or subscribe on the apps to hear further episodes as we celebrate this anniversary year!
Fredrik Kalstveit is a freelance Norwegian journalist and photographer covering tech, culture, politics, and Norwegian Americans. He is based in San Francisco, California. He has written for many publications, including TV 2 Norway, Aftenposten, Dagens Næringsliv, A-magasinet, and Vesterheim Magazine. He is author of the book Norske cowboyer: En reise gjennom ville vesten (Norwegian cowboys: A journey through the wild west), published in Norwegian.