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Archive: 2016 (93 Posts)

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Day of the Deployed

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest post by Andrew Huber, Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). October 26th marks the National Day of the Deployed, which honors all those veterans and active duty soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen who have spent time abroad in service to their country. As anyone who has been deployed …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Michelle Stefano Joins AFC Staff

Posted by: Stephen Winick

The American Folklife Center is pleased to welcome the latest addition to our staff, Michelle Stefano. Michelle joins the staff as a folklife specialist in the Research & Programs section of AFC. Michelle brings a wealth of valuable experience to AFC. From 2011 to 2016, Michelle worked as a state folklorist for Maryland Traditions, the …

Two full-length photos of a bearded man dressed in Ottoman attire.

The Faith of Far Away Moses: Yom Kippur, 1893

Posted by: Stephen Winick

Note: This is part of a series of posts about Far Away Moses, a fascinating celebrity of the 19th century, who served as the model for one of the keystone heads on the Thomas Jefferson Building.  Moses, a Sephardic Jew from Constantinople, knew some of the most prominent Americans of his era, including Theodore Roosevelt …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

More about “The Dodger”: New Evidence about one of Aaron Copland’s “Old American Songs”

Posted by: Stephen Winick

Note: this is the second in a series of posts about a classic item from the AFC archive, “The Dodger.” [See the first post here.] [See the second post here.][See the third post here.] Second note: we’ve also created a podcast version of these stories. Download our “Dodger” podcast here! In this post, I’ll present …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

The Candidate’s a Dodger: An Electoral Folksong from Oral Tradition to Aaron Copland

Posted by: Stephen Winick

Note: this is the first in a series of posts about a classic item from the AFC archive, “The Dodger.” [See the first post here.] [See the second post here.][See the third post here.] Second note: we’ve also created a podcast version of these stories. Download our “Dodger” podcast here! As Election Day draws near, …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

VHP in the Classroom

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest post by Andrew Huber, Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). As students have returned to school across the country, young people are learning not just about reading, writing and arithmetic, but about service, honor and sacrifice as well. Classrooms and student groups nationwide take part in the Veterans …

The Folklore of Far Away Moses

Posted by: Stephen Winick

The Face of Far Away Moses People who have come to visit our research center in the beautiful Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress may have noticed the interesting faces that adorn its exterior. Known as the “ethnological heads” or “keystone heads,” the faces were intended to demonstrate the different characteristics of the …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

The Inspiring Life of Texan Héctor P. García

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest post by Christy Chason, Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP). Until recently, Dr. Héctor P. García was someone about whom I knew precious little. In fact, knowing what I know now, I am embarrassed to say that I had only ever heard his name in the context of …