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Category: AFC Awards

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AFC Fellowship and Award Recipients 2023

Posted by: Stephen Winick

The American Folklife Center (AFC) at the Library of Congress is pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of its three competitive annual fellowships and awards programs: the Archie Green Fellowships, the Gerald E. and Corinne L. Parsons Fund Award, and the Blanton Owen Fund Award. This year, these three awards went to six projects throughout the United States, whose proposals were reviewed and selected by internal and external panels at the American Folklife Center. Read on for information about the awardees.

Modesta Yangmog of Asor Island, Ulithi Atoll interviewing master lavalava weaver Conchita Leyangrow of Lamotrek Atoll in Talguw on Yap Island

Applications Open for AFC’s Community Collections Grants!

Posted by: Michelle Stefano

The Library of Congress and the American Folklife Center are thrilled to announce the opening of applications for the third round of Community Collections Grants, with a deadline of August 18, 2023 at 2:00PM Eastern Time. These grants will support individuals or non-profit organizations in producing cultural documentation–photographs, interviews, audio or video recordings about their …

A woman in a surgical mask in front of a sign reading "Heroes Work Here."

Announcing the COVID-19 American History Project and an Award to Document Stories of COVID-19 Frontline Workers

Posted by: Stephen Winick

The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is proud to announce the launch of the COVID-19 American History Project (CAHP). The multiyear initiative will document, archive, and make accessible Americans’ experiences with COVID-19, to strengthen understanding of American life during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to publishing a resource guide and encouraging Americans to share their stories with StoryCorps, AFC is now soliciting applications for an oral history award for researchers to document the experiences of frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The award will provide up to $30,000 to each recipient. Applicants are asked to submit an initial concept paper by June 20 using the link in this blog post.

Promotional graphic for the Community Collections Grants program showing nine photos representing each of the 2023 recipients and their projects

Announcing the AFC’s 2023 Community Collections Grant Recipients

Posted by: Michelle Stefano

The American Folklife Center is excited to announce the 2023 recipient cohort of the Community Collections Grants program. Over this year, recipients will undertake cultural research and documentation projects focused on a wide range of cultural traditions and practices across the U.S. and territories. Their work will ultimately be included in the Library’s permanent collections, …

An action photo of Monique Verdin (interviewer), Kaliq Sims (videographer) and R.J. Molinere (artist) travel around Lake Long, behind Grand Bois, in an airboat, July 2022. Photo by Tammy Greer.

Community Collections Grants: “And We are Still Here:” Stories of Resilience and Sustainability from Houma Culture Bearers in Louisiana

Posted by: Michelle Stefano

Below is an excerpt from a post on the Library’s Of the People blog by Folklife Specialist Guha Shankar who interviews Community Collections Grant recipient Professor Tammy Greer (and team) about their project, “And We are Still Here:” Stories of Resilience and Sustainability from Houma Culture Bearers in Louisiana. This post is part of the Of the …

A promotional graphic featuring a photo of Community Collections Grant recipient Mark Boots Lupenui

Community Collections Grants: An Interview with Mark “Boots” Lupenui

Posted by: Michelle Stefano

Below is an excerpt from an interview by Folklife Specialist Guha Shankar with Community Collections Grant recipient Mark “Boots” Lupenui entitled, “Heirloom Songs” from Kohala, Hawai’i: Documenting a Fragile Musical Legacy, as part of a series on the Library’s Of the People blog featuring the 2022 awardees of the AFC’s Community Collections Grants program. The …

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

Community Collection Grants: R&B Urban Line Dancing on “Of the People”

Posted by: Stephen Winick

Below is an excerpt from a post on the Library’s Of the People blog highlighting artist, documentarian, and AFC Community Collections Grant recipient Karen Abdul-Malik, also known professionally as Queen Nur. It is part of an “Of the People blog” series featuring the 2022 awardees of the American Folklife Center’s Community Collections Grants program. Abdul-Malik’s project focuses …

A group of women dancing outside a Buddhist temple

AFC’s Community Collections Grants: Documenting Lao New Year in Iberia Parish, Louisiana

Posted by: Michelle Stefano

Below is an excerpt of a guest post on the Library’s Of the People blog comprised of notes, observations, and an interview by Sami Haggood (Project Assistant Director) with Phanat Xanamane (Project Director) on their project, the Louisiana Lao New Year Archive, as part of a blog series featuring the 2022 awardees of the AFC’s Community …