Mike Lien Photography Collection
Collection
Identifier: Photo 2211
Scope and Content
The photography collection of Mike Lien shows his work as a photographer through negatives, slides and prints from the years 1966 to 1976 working for The Fargo Forum and The New York Times with the majority of the collection from 1968-1975 working at The New York Times in Washington, DC covering White House events, sports and politics. The collection also includes personal negatives, slides and prints that Mike had taken in between photo assignments. The collection is organized in chronological date order and broken down into four major series. They are Negatives, Slides, Contact Sheets and Prints.
The Negative Series contains various negative formats from 35mm, 120mm; to 4x5 inches with the majority of negatives being 35mm black and white negatives. The series is broken down into these different topics: The Fargo Forum 1966 to 1968, Personal Negatives 1968-1972, Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, The New York Times in which Mike won a number of photojournalism awards for his images such as “Muskie Rally in the Snow, “Night on the Subway” and “Muriel Humphrey with Children.” Skiing, Horses and Horse Racing. Random Negatives that include celebrities, politicians, animals, office parties, Shanley Boys Choir trip to Washington, DC, and other award winning negatives. Student Volunteers Decoy, KY sub, West Virginia, Sailing and Boats, Unidentified People, Political 1968-1975, Ed Muskie 1972, Spiro Agnew 1970, March’s, Protests, Rally’s Demonstrations 1967-1971, Gerald Ford, Henry Kissinger, Nelson Rockefeller, Richard Nixon 1969-1974, Sports 1968-1975. Due to a numbering error, files skip from number 230 to 300.
The Slide Series contains 35mm slides and is broken down into five topics: Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, Political Figures 1969-1972, Non-Political 1966-1976, Sailing 1968-1973 and Sports 1969-1971.
The Contact Sheet Series contains contact sheets that do not have negatives included with them. They show a variety of political figures and events from 1968 to 1973. Most of the contact sheets have information printed on the back of them such as names, dates, and event.
The Print Series contains black and white prints in sizes 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20 along with other various sizes. The series is broken down into a number of different topics: Mike Lien, Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, Sports, Richard Nixon, Political Prints, Random Prints which include people, horse racing, street vendor, lion tamer, Moorhead State Dragon basketball team, sprint race car, oyster fishing, geese, tagging ducks.
The Oversize Print Series contains four topics: Non-Political, Entertainment, Sports, and Political. In 1966, while photographing for The Fargo Forum, Mike was given the assignment to cover the Fargo Central High School fire. The images show an early view of Mike’s approach to photojournalism.
As you look at the negatives shot for The Fargo Forum and The New York Times, you will come across a notch punched into the sprocket holes of the film strip. This would indicate the negative(s) selected by the photo editor to be printed for that particular story. A number of these editor selected images can be found in the Print Series in this collection. A number of prints were poorly processed leaving chemical and water stains on them and had to be digitally scanned and photocopied.
The Negative Series contains various negative formats from 35mm, 120mm; to 4x5 inches with the majority of negatives being 35mm black and white negatives. The series is broken down into these different topics: The Fargo Forum 1966 to 1968, Personal Negatives 1968-1972, Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, The New York Times in which Mike won a number of photojournalism awards for his images such as “Muskie Rally in the Snow, “Night on the Subway” and “Muriel Humphrey with Children.” Skiing, Horses and Horse Racing. Random Negatives that include celebrities, politicians, animals, office parties, Shanley Boys Choir trip to Washington, DC, and other award winning negatives. Student Volunteers Decoy, KY sub, West Virginia, Sailing and Boats, Unidentified People, Political 1968-1975, Ed Muskie 1972, Spiro Agnew 1970, March’s, Protests, Rally’s Demonstrations 1967-1971, Gerald Ford, Henry Kissinger, Nelson Rockefeller, Richard Nixon 1969-1974, Sports 1968-1975. Due to a numbering error, files skip from number 230 to 300.
The Slide Series contains 35mm slides and is broken down into five topics: Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, Political Figures 1969-1972, Non-Political 1966-1976, Sailing 1968-1973 and Sports 1969-1971.
The Contact Sheet Series contains contact sheets that do not have negatives included with them. They show a variety of political figures and events from 1968 to 1973. Most of the contact sheets have information printed on the back of them such as names, dates, and event.
The Print Series contains black and white prints in sizes 8x10, 11x14 and 16x20 along with other various sizes. The series is broken down into a number of different topics: Mike Lien, Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre, Sports, Richard Nixon, Political Prints, Random Prints which include people, horse racing, street vendor, lion tamer, Moorhead State Dragon basketball team, sprint race car, oyster fishing, geese, tagging ducks.
The Oversize Print Series contains four topics: Non-Political, Entertainment, Sports, and Political. In 1966, while photographing for The Fargo Forum, Mike was given the assignment to cover the Fargo Central High School fire. The images show an early view of Mike’s approach to photojournalism.
As you look at the negatives shot for The Fargo Forum and The New York Times, you will come across a notch punched into the sprocket holes of the film strip. This would indicate the negative(s) selected by the photo editor to be printed for that particular story. A number of these editor selected images can be found in the Print Series in this collection. A number of prints were poorly processed leaving chemical and water stains on them and had to be digitally scanned and photocopied.
Dates
- 1966-1976
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.
Copyrights
Copyrights to this collection remain with the Fargo Forum, and the New York Times. The NDSU Archives hold the copyrights to Mike Lien's personal negatives, slides and prints.
Biography
Mike Lien was born in Fargo, North Dakota on November 4, 1936. He was the son of June Aggerholm and James E. Gaffaney after an affair James and June had. James Gaffaney made arrangements with an elderly Fargo couple, Alfred and Bertha Lien to raise Mike as their own. The couple accepted the offer to the extra financial assistance that James Gaffaney would give them to care for Mike. Mike was raised in Fargo by the Liens, but June remained his legal guardian. At Fargo Central High School Mike was active in intramural sports, glee club, drama, band, and the yearbook, and the Fargo Moorhead photo club. At the age of 15, while in high school, Mike would go to high school ball games, take pictures, and sell them to the student athletes. If the Fargo Forum news photographer wasn’t at the game, Mike would make a few copies of the photos and bring them to the news room, before the deadline of the morning addition. While in high school Mike became a regular visitor to the Forum’s photo department, learning from two Forum photographers Cal Olson and Tom Abercrombie.
Mike graduated from high school in 1954 and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, receiving a B.A. Degree in economics and political science. In 1959 Mike enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and graduated from Navigator School in March 1960. Mike then joined the Madison Air National Guard. In 1963 Mike was transferred to the N.D. Air National Guard where he flew second seat in a jet fighter plane for the Guard’s Happy Hooligans. Mike would use his camera to pick up small photography jobs and some commercial work to earn extra money. Mike then found full time work as a photographer for the Red River Scene and Clay Sunday Press newspapers both in Moorhead, Minn. In 1965, Mike would start spending a lot more time with Cal Olson of The Forum to learn about the newspaper business. Mike had many interests such as photography, cars, boats, and music. He built and raced a three-quarter sprint car. In 1967 Mike directed a Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre production. That same year a staff opening at The Fargo Forum developed and Mike was hired by Cal Olson as a Forum news photographer. That next year Mike was named the National Press Photographer Association’s Regional Photographer of the Year for an eight state area.
In August 1968, Mike attended a news photography seminar in Rochester, NY and after returning to Fargo, resigned from the Forum. He had been hired to join the photo staff of The New York Times and was given assignments covering sports and politics. Soon after, The New York Times transferred Mike to their Washington bureau and eventually became a member of the White House News Photographers Association where in 1973 Mike received two first-place awards in a competition sponsored by the White House Photographers Association.
In 1975 Mike left The New York Times and moved to Chesapeake Bay north of Annapolis, MD. He operated a small marina and was doing the carpentry work to rebuild a small home he was living in. Mike earned money by occasional freelance photo assignments and repairing small sailing vessels who the owners rented slip space. He was also working on an old sailboat which he intended to take vacationers on salt water cruises.
On December 4, 1976, Mike was involved in a two car accident. Three people in the vehicle escaped serious injury but Mike was severally injured and on February 22, 1977, two and a half months after the accident, Mike was taken off life support and died. He was 41 years old.
Mike graduated from high school in 1954 and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, receiving a B.A. Degree in economics and political science. In 1959 Mike enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and graduated from Navigator School in March 1960. Mike then joined the Madison Air National Guard. In 1963 Mike was transferred to the N.D. Air National Guard where he flew second seat in a jet fighter plane for the Guard’s Happy Hooligans. Mike would use his camera to pick up small photography jobs and some commercial work to earn extra money. Mike then found full time work as a photographer for the Red River Scene and Clay Sunday Press newspapers both in Moorhead, Minn. In 1965, Mike would start spending a lot more time with Cal Olson of The Forum to learn about the newspaper business. Mike had many interests such as photography, cars, boats, and music. He built and raced a three-quarter sprint car. In 1967 Mike directed a Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre production. That same year a staff opening at The Fargo Forum developed and Mike was hired by Cal Olson as a Forum news photographer. That next year Mike was named the National Press Photographer Association’s Regional Photographer of the Year for an eight state area.
In August 1968, Mike attended a news photography seminar in Rochester, NY and after returning to Fargo, resigned from the Forum. He had been hired to join the photo staff of The New York Times and was given assignments covering sports and politics. Soon after, The New York Times transferred Mike to their Washington bureau and eventually became a member of the White House News Photographers Association where in 1973 Mike received two first-place awards in a competition sponsored by the White House Photographers Association.
In 1975 Mike left The New York Times and moved to Chesapeake Bay north of Annapolis, MD. He operated a small marina and was doing the carpentry work to rebuild a small home he was living in. Mike earned money by occasional freelance photo assignments and repairing small sailing vessels who the owners rented slip space. He was also working on an old sailboat which he intended to take vacationers on salt water cruises.
On December 4, 1976, Mike was involved in a two car accident. Three people in the vehicle escaped serious injury but Mike was severally injured and on February 22, 1977, two and a half months after the accident, Mike was taken off life support and died. He was 41 years old.
Extent
20923 Photographic Negatives
3060 Photographic Slides
399 Photographic Prints
Language of Materials
English
Overview
Fargo native photo journalist who started his career at the Fargo Forum, followed as a photographer for the New York Times, working for their Washington bureau and eventually became a member of the White House News Photographers Association in the early 1970s.
Provenance
Donated by Robert C. Gaffaney, 2018 (Acc. 2018-009irs and 2018-034irs)
Separated Materials
A number of non-photographic items such as newspaper clippings and correspondence have been separated out and processed into the Mike Lien Manuscript Collection (MSS 3119).
Property rights
The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Mike Lien Photography Collection
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu