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Posted by: Stephen Winick
The following is a guest post from Todd Harvey, a curator and reference specialist at the American Folklife Center archives, Library of Congress. It is a banner day when John Cohen visits the American Folklife Center. We greet him as an old friend, though in truth John has a longer association with the Center and …
Posted in: Folk Music, John Cohen, Old Time Music
Posted by: Lisa Taylor
The hit Broadway musical-turned-film “The Wiz” is one of my all-time favorites. It is a retelling of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” with an African-American twist. I have vivid childhood memories of seeing R&B recording artist Stephanie Mills play Dorothy live on stage, then being blown away by Michael Jackson’s portrayal of Scarecrow in the …
Posted in: Home, Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Stephen Winick
The staff of the American Folklife Center wishes you all the best for the Holiday season and the coming year. In this picture, we pose by the Christmas Tree in the Great Hall of the Library of Congress, with some of us still in the costumes we wore in the AFC Mummers Play, St. George, …
Posted in: Holidays
Posted by: Lisa Taylor
The following is a guest post by VHP Liaison Specialist Andrew Huber, and is the last in a three-part series. Where thou art, that is… Home. For many people, the most treasured part of the holidays is traveling back to their hometowns to see their families and everything else that makes a place feel like …
Posted in: Holidays, Home, Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Stephen Winick
Note: Every year, in the week before Christmas, staff members of the American Folklife Center put our research and performance skills into play, bringing collections to life in a dramatic performance that tours the halls of the Library of Congress. Dressed in costumes that range from striking to silly, we sing, act, rhyme, and dance …
Posted in: Dance, Drama, Folk Drama, Holidays, Mumming
Posted by: Lisa Taylor
The following is a guest post by VHP Liaison Specialist Owen Rogers, and is the second in a three-part series. Trying to make it… Home. A permanent fixture in our lives, “home” has both place and meaning, and many veterans meticulously documented their journey home through photographs, manuscripts and correspondence. Numbering among the “transplant” community …
Posted in: Home, Narratives, Oral History, Storytelling, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Megan Harris
Thanks to VHP researcher Larry Minear for his input on this blog post. Happy 378th birthday to the National Guard! On December 13th, 1636, a colony-wide militia was established in Massachusetts, the precursor to the modern National Guard. Much like their colonial counterparts, the majority of today’s Guard members hold civilian jobs in addition to …
Posted in: Veterans History Project
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
Making things from snow and ice no doubt dates from very ancient times. But snow leaves no artifacts and so we can only imagine the surprise of the first human pelted by a snowball. In spite of its temporary nature, things made of snow are part of material culture: the traditions related to physical objects …
Posted in: Folk Art, Games, Material Culture
Posted by: Megan Harris
The following is a guest post by VHP Liaison Specialist Christy Chason, and is the first in a three-part series. There’s No Place Like… Home. That sweet, safe place your heart resides. Where your family connects and memories are made. The place you long to return to when away for too long, lest the pang …
Posted in: Home, Veterans History Project