Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

Festival of American Folklife papers, 1967

Summary

Collection ID:
CFCH.FAF.1967
Dates:
1967
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4 Boxes
7 Sound tape reels
Repository:
This finding aid is intended as a historical document of the event, July 1-4, 1967 and the participants in this festival. Not all of the individuals listed below were recorded or photographed. The documentation of this festival was minimal so there is not a wealth of material still existing or accessible from this event for study. What exists is listed later in this document. Contains parts of several boxes of paper records. 7 reel to reel audiotapes, photographs.

Scope and Content note

Scope and Content note
The collection includes the paper records that resulted from the production of the program. The collection includes audiovisual documentation during the festival itself including audio recordings and photographs. For specific information about the materials in each series, please refer to the series description. For additional information about the 1967 Festival of American Folklife, one should consult the central Smithsonian Institution Archives and the papers of the Division of Performing Arts.

Historical note

Historical note
In 1967, the Smithsonian held its first ever Festival of American Folklife. Then Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley was interested in getting the museum out to the people. He assigned the task of creating a festival to James Morris, head of what was then the Smithsonian Division of Performing Arts. Ralph Rinzler was hired as the folklore consultant. Rinzler had been one of the chief talent scouts for the Newport Folk festival and had done extensive fieldwork on American folk traditions. Rinzler had also been involved in the creation of the "festival workshop" concept which incorporates narratives and audience interaction with musical performance. He also felt strongly that craft and food traditions were equally important and also a major part of the folklife of a traditional community.
This four day event set the pattern for what became a yearly event. It featured craft traditions as well as musical performances by some of the well known traditional musicians of the 20th century, many of whom had previously appeared at the Newport Folk Festival.

Administration

Author
Jeff Place and Stephanie Smith
Processing Information note
Prepared by Jeff Place, March, 2005. Revised by Jeff Place and Stephanie Smith, September 2007.
Encoded by Brittany Dunton, December 2011.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access note
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Preferred Citation note
Smithsonian Folklife Festival Documentation Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archive and Collection, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Related Publications
The following publications exist in the archive library and can be studied on-site.
Eaton, Allen H.,
Handicrafts of the Southern Highlands
, New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1937 Jones, Bessie and Bess Lomax Hawes,
Step it Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage
, New York: Harper and Row, 1972. Kirlin, Katherine S., and Thomas M. Kirlin,
Smithsonian Folklife Cookbook
, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Press, 1991 Kurin, Richard,
Reflections of a Culture Broker: A View from the Smithsonian
, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Press, 1997 Kurin, Richard,
Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Culture Of, By, and For the People
, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies, 1998

More Information

List of Festival Participants

List of Festival Participants
  • Crafts
  • Louise Jones, Coil basket making, South Carolina
  • Margaret Coochwytewa, Coil and Yucca leaves, Hopi basket maker, Arizona
  • Joseph Grismayer, Willow, basket maker, Pennsylvania
  • Bea Hensley, blacksmith, North Carolina
  • Homer Miracle, Hand-hewn bowls, carver, Kentucky
  • Charles Mayac, Ivory carver, Alaska
  • Leo J. Meyer, scrimshaw carver, Maryland
  • Edd Presnell, Dulcimer maker, North Carolina
  • Willard Watson, Toy maker, North Carolina
  • Dewey Harmon, Whittler, North Carolina
  • Herman Benton, Scoop maker, New York
  • Robert Keith, Chair maker, North Carolina
  • Mrs. Robert Keith, Chair maker, North Carolina
  • Clifford Lucas, Indian dolls, New Mexico
  • Hazel Miracle, Apple face, corn shuck dolls, Kentucky
  • Mildred Cleghorn, Indian cloth dolls, Oklahoma
  • Alice Merryman, Corn shuck dolls, Arkansas
  • Lila Marshall, Corn shuck dolls, North Carolina
  • Ann Mitchell, Corn shuck dolls, Maryland
  • Maisy Coburn, Apple face and Corncob dolls, Arkansas
  • Mary Bowers, Seminole patchwork, needlework, Florida
  • Georgianne Robinson, Osage ribbon work, needlework, Oklahoma
  • Genevieve Tomey, Osage ribbon work, needlework, Oklahoma
  • Ora Watson, Quilting, North Carolina
  • Freedom Quilting Bee, Alabama
  • Marie Chino, Acoma pottery, New Mexico
  • Norman Miller, Southern pottery, Alabama
  • Mrs. Norman Miller, Southern pottery, Alabama
  • Norman Kennedy, Carder, spinner, weaver, Massachusetts
  • Golda Porter, Spinner, North Carolina
  • Taft Greer, Weaver, Tennessee
  • Elisia Trivett, Rug hooker, North Carolina
  • Ambrose Roanhorse, Navajo silversmith, Arizona
  • Garnet Claw Roanhorse, Navajo rug weaver, Arizona
  • Lou Sesher, Model boat builder, Pennsylvania
  • Victor Coochwytewa, Hopi silversmith, Arizona
  • Harry Belone, Navajo sand painter, Arizona
  • Music
  • First Maryland Regiment Fife and Drum Corps, martial music, Maryland
  • Dejan's Olympia Brass Brand, New Orleans marching band, Louisiana
  • Clark Kessinger, mountain fiddler, West Virginia
  • Gene Meade, West Virginia
  • Scottish Pipe Band, Highland marching music, Washington, D.C.
  • Wade Ward and the Buck Mountain Band, mountain sting band, Virginia
  • Ed Young and family, African American fife and drum group, Mississippi
  • Bessie Jones and the Georgia Sea Island Singers, shouts, jubilees, spirituals, and ring games, Georgia
  • The Moving Star Hall Singers, shouts, jubilees, spirituals, and ring games, South Carolina
  • Yomo Toro Band, Puerto Rican music, New York
  • Billie and De De Pierce and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, New Orleans jazz, Louisiana
  • Jimmie Driftwood, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas
  • John Papakee, Mesquakie Indian music, Iowa
  • Grace Papakee, Mesquakie Indian music, Iowa
  • Almeda Riddle, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas
  • Vinice Lejeune Group, Cajun band, Louisiana
  • John Jackson, Songster and blues singer, Virginia
  • Libba Cotten, Country guitarist, North Carolina, Washington, D.C.
  • The Baca Family Band, Czech-American polka music, Texas
  • Norman Kennedy, Scots ballad singer, Massachusetts
  • The McGee Brothers with Sid Harkreader, String band, Tennessee
  • Glenn Ohrlin, Cowboy singer, Arkansas
  • Young People's Chorus from the Scripture of Church of Christ, gospel, Virginia
  • Dance
  • Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers, cloggers, North Carolina
  • St. Andrews Society Group, Scottish dancing, Washington, D.C.
  • Glinka Dancers, Russian dance group, New Jersey
  • McNeff Dancers, Irish dancing with Ceilidh band, New York
  • Chinese Lion Group, Washington, D.C.
  • Jochim Koyuk, King Island Eskimo dancer, Alaska
  • Mrs. Jochim Koyuk, King Island Eskimo dancer, Alaska
  • Los Gallegos d'Espana, Galician dance, New York
  • Henry Paterick, square dance caller, Virginia
  • Maurice Flowers, square dance caller, Maryland

Shared Stewardship of Collections

Shared Stewardship of Collections
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.
Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
600 Maryland Ave SW
Washington, D.C.
rinzlerarchives@si.edu