Vivian E. Garrison was an applied medical anthropologist who researched the cultural understandings and community treatment structures surrounding mental illness and mental health care among low-income, minority, and migrant communities of the New York metropolitan area. The Vivian E. Garrison papers document this research and consist of clinical and case files; research policies and protocols; presentations and workshops notes; manuscripts and drafts; publications and working papers; correspondence; grant applications; administrative files; sound recordings and films; annotated scholarly literature; and personal biographical material.

The Fletcher and Horace Henderson Collection contains original scores and band books, loose sheet music, both original and published, from both Fletcher and Horace's libraries, playlists, lyrics, photographs, personal papers and correspondences, newspaper clippings, jazz publications, an oral history manuscript of an interview with Horace, audio ta...

The first NPG director, Charles Nagel, was appointed in 1964. Most of the records document the director's efforts to initiate programs to fulfil the second mission of the Gallery: to provide a research center for American biography, iconography, and history. To achieve this objective, Charles Nagel established the Catalogue of American Po...

This record unit consists of master audiotapes for "Radio Smithsonian" programs 750-1098, 1984-1989; elements, or original, unedited tapes for "Radio Smithsonian" programs 837-1098, 1985-1989; audio elements for the television series "Here at the Smithsonian," volumes 3-8, 1984-1989; master audiotapes for "Folk Masters" radio series, 1991; scr...

Robert Moody Laughlin was an American ethnologist specializing in the study of Mayan language, history, customs, and folklore. He spent the majority of his career working for the Smithsonian Institution, first with the Bureau of American Ethnology, then with the Department of Anthropology. He was a curator emeritus with the department from his retirement in 2006 until his death in 2020. The Robert Moody Laughlin papers (1899-2016, bulk 1954-2016) document his research and professional activities and primarily deal with language and folktales he recorded and studied, as well as the culture and history of the Tzotzil and other Mayan groups in the Chiapas region. His involvement in language education and training, advocacy for the Tzotzil and language and cultural revitalization, and administrative matters at the Smithsonian are also represented. The collection consists of materials created for books and other publications, field notes, research materials, correspondence, administrative files, sound recordings, video recordings, photographs, and electronic records.

The Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife, held annually since 1967 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1998. The materials collected here document the planning, production, and execution of the annual Festival, produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (1999-present) and its predecessor offices (1967-1999). An overview of the entire Festival records group is available here: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records.

The Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife, held annually since 1967 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1998. The materials collected here document the planning, production, and execution of the annual Festival, produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (1999-present) and its predecessor offices (1967-1999). An overview of the entire Festival records group is available here: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records.

These records document the activities of the Office of American Studies, particularly its head, Wilcomb E. Washburn, and concern scholarly conferences, papers given, book reviews, and related correspondence.

These records reflect the growing scope and complexity of the Smithsonian during Ripley's tenure. They document the Smithsonian's changing administrative structure; growing relationships with universities, foundations, and other external groups; efforts to attract more government support for the Smithsonian; pursuit of new initiatives and...

Exhibit scripts are the textual component of exhibits. These records document the production of labels and other text that accompany Smithsonian Institution exhibits, and deal with matters of concept, design, scope, and style. The records occasionally contain photographs, brochures, memoranda and correspondence with curators, exhibits speciali...