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.
AMERICAN 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:

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

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

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

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