The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Moses Moon collection

Repository: Smithsonian Institution. National Museum of American History. Archives Center

Collection Description (CRHP): One hundred forty-four audiotapes documenting the Civil Rights Movement.

Collection Description (Extant): Moon spent the 1950s as a folk music impresario at the Gate of Horn, a Chicago folk music club where guests included the Weavers, Odetta, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, etc. Moon went to Greenwood, Mississippi in 1963 for a folk festival organized by Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Theodore Bikel and others. At this event he heard some of the music of the civil rights movement and while recording it he realized that it wasn't only the music that was important. So he began attending and recording mass meetings, voter registrations, and other movement events in the South to record them. He used a 90 lb. tape recorder and a variety of microphones to record not only the speakers and performers, but the audiences as well.

Access Copy Note: Unrestricted research access on site by appointment.

Collection URL: http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siarchives&uri=full=3100001~!229083~!0#focus

Date(s): 1963-1964

Digital Status: No

Existing IDs: ACNMAH 0556

Extent: One hundred forty-four audiotapes

Language: English

Rights (Extant): Fees for commercial reproduction. Copyright transferred to Smithsonian Institution in Deed of Gift.

Subjects:

Civil rights movements--Southern States
Civil rights movements--United States--Songs and music
Folk music
Folk songs
Voter registration

Genres:

Sound recordings