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Posted by: Stephanie Hall
From the very beginnings of the Women’s suffrage movement, the organizers realized that they needed to use symbolism to help get their message across and make it memorable. This month we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote, as it was ratified on August 18, …
Posted in: Women's History
Posted by: Michelle Stefano
In May, I wrote about a project that was keeping me busy, and providing a nice escape from the mental confines of my well-worn, Baltimore couch. While I cannot believe it is already August, I am happy to announce that the project is all set and ready to share! Chicago Blues and Jazz: Selections from …
Posted in: AFC History, AFC Publications, African American History, African Americans, Blues, Folklorists, Jazz, Story Map
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
Back in 2014 I wrote a blog about one of my favorite dance songs, “Buffalo Gals.” I have thought a lot about it since and explored more of the history of similar and related songs. More is available online today as well, so that more examples can be readily presented here. “Buffalo Gals” from its …
Posted in: Folksong
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
One frequent piece of advice for helping to keep our sense of well being as we need to stay home and stay safe during the pandemic is to find ways to be creative. Arts and crafts provide one way of doing this. I grew up with arts and crafts of all sorts as members of …
Posted in: Crafts, Ukrainian Americans
Posted by: Stephen Winick
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!) I’m very happy to continue the series with The Murphy Beds, which is the duo of Eamon O’Leary and Jefferson Hamer. The Murphy Beds present traditional and original folk songs with close …
Posted in: Celtic Music, Homegrown Concert Series, Homegrown Plus, Irish American History, Irish Americans
Posted by: Nicole Saylor
This is a guest post by archivist Maya Lerman, who completed processing on the John Cohen collection. Maya has written for the blog about her work on this collection previously, and another of our staff, Todd Harvey, offered a recollection of Cohen’s rich body of documentation upon his passing last year. Musician, visual artist, writer, …
Posted in: Archival Practice, Bluegrass, Folk Music, John Cohen, Old Time Music
Posted by: Stephanie Hall
The ancient concept of the Olympics was to create competitions that brought people together once every four years in a ritual in honor of the god Zeus. Wars were banned while the games were put on allowing people of different states to participate and travel to and from the games safely. People came from all …
Posted in: Dance, Games, Native American History
Posted by: Stephen Winick
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 Cora Harvey Armstrong, a gospel singer, piano player, songwriter, choir director, and bandleader born and raised in King and Queen County, Virginia. The Richmond-born …
Posted in: AFC Events, African American History, Homegrown Concert Series, Homegrown Plus
Posted by: Stephen Winick
Normally, the Homegrown Plus series is a way to bring together the videos of Homegrown concerts with other information about the artists, including oral history interviews. This time, however, we have a more solemn duty: to celebrate the life and legacy of Nakotah LaRance, an outstanding Native American hoop dancer from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, New …
Posted in: Dance, Homegrown Concert Series, Homegrown Plus, Native American History