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Archive: December 2014 (12 Posts)

A Visit From John Cohen

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 …

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

All About Home

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 …

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

Happy Holidays from the American Folklife Center!

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, …

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

St. George, the Dragon, and the Squid: A Preservation Mumming

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 …

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

Making It Home: Journey Home

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 …

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

Happy Birthday, National Guard! And, VHP Researcher Spotlight

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 …

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

Making it Home: Missing Home

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 …