Top of page

Treasures of the AFC Archive Banner #1

Share this post:

Two short weeks ago, I mentioned the new traveling exhibit Treasures of the American Folklife Center Archive. The exhibit takes the form of lightweight, colorful vinyl banners containing information about the American Folklife Center, the Library of Congress, and (as the title suggests) some of the treasures found in our archive. I promised at that time that we’d be putting the banners online, both so our blog readers can see them, and to go on the record with full credit for all the images, which didn’t fit in the banner format.  So we’re pleased to present the first of the original six banners.  To see what the banner itself looks like, see the picture to the left; just click to enlarge.  Watch for the others in the coming weeks!

We’ll also provide the banner’s content, in a format that’s easier to see, below. The main text of the blog post is the text on the banner.  The photo captions are additional information just for this blog.

 

Banner1_AFC_proof4-1AMERICAN FOLKLIFE CENTER

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The American Folklife Center (AFC) was created in 1976 by the U.S. Congress to “preserve and present American folklife” through research, documentation, archival preservation, reference services, live performances, exhibitions, publications, and training. As America’s designated national folklife center, AFC actively collects and documents living traditional culture, while also preserving its historic collections for the future in the Library of Congress’s state-of-the-art facilities. One of the world’s largest collections of ethnographic materials, the AFC provides access to the songs, stories, and creative expressions of people from throughout the U.S. and around the world.

The American Folklife Center Welcomes Visitors

http://www.loc.gov/folklife

You can conduct research in our unparalleled collections of folklore and oral history, enjoy our wide range of public programs (including concerts, lectures, and symposia), contact us to discuss ethnographic or archival issues, or subscribe to our RSS feeds, blog, and Facebook page, all from our homepage.

 

AFC offers free public events, such as these performances by Mary Louise Defender Wilson and Dallas Chief Eagle:

DefenderWilsonBlog
Dakotah/Hidatsa storyteller Mary Louise Defender Wilson of North Dakota, performing in the Coolidge Auditorium on August 16, 2006. Photo by Stephen Winick for AFC. AFC 2006/031.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dallas Chief Eagle, a Lakota hoop dancer in the Coolidge Auditorium, November 15, 2007.  Photo by Michaela McNichol for the Library of Congress.  LC Office of Communications.
Dallas Chief Eagle, a Lakota hoop dancer, performs in AFC’s Homegrown Concert Series in the Coolidge Auditorium, November 15, 2007. Photo by Michaela McNichol for the Library of Congress. LC Office of Communications.

 

Artists find inspiration at AFC. Here, Grammy-winning songster Dom Flemons explores an AFC card catalog:

Dom Flemons, Grammy-winner with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, in the Folklife Research Center in 2007.  Photo by Stephen Winick for AFC.
Dom Flemons, Grammy-winner with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, in the Folklife Research Center in 2007. Photo by Stephen Winick for AFC.

 

AFC’s research center and archive are open to visitors:

The Folklife Research Center (a.ka. Folklife Reading Room) in 2009.  Photo by Stephen Winick for AFC.
The Folklife Research Center (a.ka. Folklife Reading Room) in 2009. Photo by Stephen Winick for AFC.

 

AFC public events, such as this symposium on Coffeehouses: Folk Music, Culture, and Counterculture, are videotaped and are available online:

forum3
Panelists at the forum Coffeehouses: Folk Music, Culture, and Counterculture on Friday, April 11, 2014. Rob Hinkal (left) represents Rob’s Open Mics in and around Baltimore, MD; Jocelyn Arem (center) has extensively documented Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY; and Betsy Siggins (right) helped to found Club 47 in Cambridge, MA. Photo by Stephen Winick for the American Folklife Center.

 

Visit us in the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.:

Exterior view. Illuminated west façade view at night. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.  Photo by Carol Highsmith, 2007. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Exterior view. Illuminated west façade view at night. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. Photo by Carol Highsmith, 2007. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

www.loc.gov/folklife

This exhibit was made possible by donations to the American Folklife Center Gift Fund.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *