Background
Fridley, Russell William was born on March 21, 1928 in Oelwein, Iowa, United States. Son of Lloyd and Laura (Tift) Fridley.
Fridley, Russell William was born on March 21, 1928 in Oelwein, Iowa, United States. Son of Lloyd and Laura (Tift) Fridley.
Bachelor of Arts, Grinnell College, 1950; Master of Arts, Columbia University, 1953; Doctor of Letters (honorary), Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, 1980; Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Gustavus Adolphus College, 1985.
Assistant director, Minnesota History Society, St. Paul, 1953-1954; director, Minnesota History Society, 1954-1986; vice president, Grinnell (Iowa) College, 1966; vice chairman, National Advisory Council on History Preservation, 1967-1970; director, Division Edition and Public Programs, National Endowment for Humanities, 1968-1969; chairman, Minnesota Humanities Committee, 1970-1978; director, Northwood Institute Margaret Chase Smith Library Center, Skowhegan, Maine., 1987-1988; director, Minnesota Labor History Center, since 1994.
Member National Museum Act Advisory Council, 1976-1979, Quetico-Superior Foundation, Minneapolis, 1967-1988. Member county Hubert H. Humphrey Institute Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 1978=87. Trustee James J. Hill Reference Library., St. Paul, 1980-1988,Charles A. Lindbergh Fund, New York City, 1981-1988, American Folklife Center Library. of Congress, Washington, 1986-1989, Norwegian-American History Association, Northfield, Minnesota, 1987-1994, Sigurd F. Olson Environmental Institute, Nortland College, Ashland, Wisconsin, 1987-1990.
Served with United States Army, 1946-1948, PTO. Member American Association Museums (director 1969-1972), American Association State and Local History (president 1966-1968), National Conference State History President Officers (vice president 1977-1979).
Married Metta Holtkamp, February 26, 1954. Children— Scott, Nancy, Jane, Susan, Elizabeth, Jennifer.