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Posted by: Kerry Ward
As we rejoice in the splendor of a three-day weekend, it is imperative that we acknowledge the true purpose of Memorial Day: to remember our national history and guiding principles through paying homage to those who laid down their lives for the ideals we hold dear. It’s a day to get to know these individuals, to …
Posted in: Afghanistan War, Memorial Day, Veterans History Project, Vietnam War, World War II
Posted by: Stephen Winick
This week, AFC staff conducted a brief fieldwork session for our podcast, also called Folklife Today. Although the episode we’re working on in this photo won’t be ready for a while, you can listen to previous episodes at this link! On the podcast, we often create audio versions of our most popular blog posts, and …
Posted in: Pic of the Week, Podcasts
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
In the Homegrown Plus series, we present Homegrown concerts that also had accompanying oral history interviews, placing both together in an easy-to-find blog post. (Find the whole series here!) We’re continuing the series with a concert and oral history with the Cambodian-American Heritage Dancers with Chum Ngek Ensemble. Update: in September, 2020, Chum Ngek did …
Posted in: Asian American History, Dance, Folk Music, Folksong, Homegrown Plus, Religion
Posted by: Stephen Winick
In the Homegrown Plus series, and the Benjamin Botkin Folklife Lectures Plus series, we present Homegrown concerts and Botkin lectures that also had accompanying oral history interviews, placing both together in an easy-to-find blog post. (Find the whole Homegrown Plus series here, and find the whole Botkin Folklife Lectures Plus series here.) For Jewish-American Heritage Month, …
Posted in: Botkin Folklife Lectures Plus, Homegrown Plus
Posted by: Megan Harris
June 6, 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Allies’ famed invasion of the beaches of Normandy. In honor of this momentous occasion, the Veterans History Project (VHP) is publishing a special series of blog posts revealing hidden facets of D-Day illuminated within VHP’s collections. Today, VHP launches a new online exhibit and a …
Posted in: D-Day, Veterans History Project, World War II
Posted by: John Fenn
The American Folklife Center is excited to announce the launch of a new collection on the Library’s web site: the Lowell Folklife Project Collection. As a cooperative project of the American Folklife Center and the Lowell Historic Preservation Commission, the Lowell Folklife Project spanned August 1987 through mid-April 1988. The primary focus was on documenting …
Posted in: Fieldwork, Massachusetts
Posted by: Stephen Winick
Concert and oral history with Jayme Stone's Folklife, which brings together the Juno-winning banjo player with distinctive and creative roots musicians to revive, recycle and reimagine traditional music.
Posted in: Homegrown Plus, Old Time Music
Posted by: Stephen Winick
May 3, 2019, would have been Pete Seeger’s 100th birthday. Summing up what Pete meant and still means to us is difficult, but I tried my best in the wake of Pete’s death with the tribute post at this link. Rather than summing up again for his hundredth birthday, I thought I’d highlight one …
Posted in: AFC Events, Obituaries, Pete Seeger
Posted by: Stephen Winick
Episode seven of the Folklife Today Podcast is ready for listening! Find it at this page on the Library’s website, or on iTunes, or with your usual podcatcher. Get your podcast here! In this fascinating episode (we hope!), John Fenn and I, along with Library of Congress staff members Stephanie Hall, Michelle Stefano, and Muhannad Salhi, …
Posted in: Hidden Folklorists, Podcasts