Folklife Today

Tells stories about the cultural traditions and folklore of diverse communities, combining brand-new interviews and narration with songs, stories, music, and oral history from the collections of the Library of Congress's American Folklife Center.

  • Audio Recording
    CCG Year of Engagement: Community on the Line In the fourth episode of the Folklife Today subseries focusing on Community Collections Grantees, AFC Events Coordinator Thea Austen and Folklife Specialist Meg Nicholas chat with Queen Nur and AJ Rivers, about Queen’s CCG project “Community on the Line: The Culture of Urban Soul Line Dancing in the Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware Tri-State Area,” and the public program the team held at the…
    • Contributor: Thea Austen - Meg Nicholas - Aj Rivers - Karen Abdul-Malik (Queen Nur)
    • Date: 2025-09-29
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    Exploring 1950s Gullah Geechee Sonic Life with Dr. Eric Crawford This episode of Folklife Today explores an important collection of Gullah Geechee sound recordings in the archives of the American Folklife Center. The collection features over four hours of Gullah Geechee people singing sacred music, preaching to congregations, and giving testimonies in 1955 and 1956. Courtney Siceloff, then-director of Penn Community Services, recorded this collection at community centers and churches across St. Helena Island,…
    • Contributor: Douglas Peach - Deacon James “garfield” Smalls - Dr. Eric Crawford
    • Date: 2025-09-10
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    CCG Year of Engagement: Returning to Our Roots In the third episode of the Folklife Today subseries focusing on Community Collections Grantees, AFC Folklife Specialist Meg Nicholas interviews Laura Grant, the project leader for the CCG project “Returning to Our Roots: Documenting Traditional Nuwä Harvests.” Bringing together members of the diasporic Kawaiisu community in California, the project documented traditional gathering practices alongside the community’s efforts to develop language revitalization resources centered around…
    • Contributor: Laura Grant - Meg Nicholas
    • Date: 2025-08-08
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    Community Collections Grant Year of Engagement: Warp and Weft—Backstrap Weaving in Micronesia In the second episode of the Folklife Today subseries focusing on Community Collections Grantees, AFC Folklife Specialists Nancy Groce and Meg Nicholas interview Neil Mellon, the Executive Director of the Habele Outer Island Education Fund and CCG project team leader Modesta Yangmog about their CCG project, “Warp and Weft of Yap’s Outer Islands: Backstrap Weaving in Micronesia.” The project documents the unique weaving traditions…
    • Contributor: Neil Mellen - Nancy Groce - Meg Nicholas - Modesta Yangmog
    • Date: 2025-07-14
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    Community Collections Grant Year of Engagement: Remembering Black Dallas The first episode in a new subseries of Folklife Today, interviewing project teams about their Community Collections Grants projects. In this episode, AFC Folklife Specialists Michelle Stefano and Meg Nicholas chat with Tameshia Rudd-Ridge and Jourdan Brunson, from their CCG project “If Tenth Street Could Talk.” The project follows descendants and residents as they work to preserve the historic freedom colony’s history. Rudd-Ridge and…
    • Contributor: Tameshia Rudd-Ridge - Meg Nicholas - Michelle Stefano - Jourdan Brunson
    • Date: 2025-06-04
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    Reclaiming “Red Wing” with Wampanoag Singer-Songwriter Thea Hopkins This episode features singer-songwriter Thea Hopkins, a member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Martha’s Vineyard, in discussion with staff members of the American Folklife Center. Hopkins adapted songs from the American Folklife Center archive several times. On the first occasion she sang a lullaby recorded by ethnomusicologist Willard Rhodes from a young girl named Margaret at the Haskell Residential School in 1943; the…
    • Contributor: Margaret - Stephen Winick - Meg Nicholas - Thea Hopkins - Jennifer Cutting - Lillian Short - Mary Trotchie
    • Date: 2024-11-26
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    Scary Stories for Halloween 2024 This episode looks at scary stories in the American Folklife Center archives, including ghost stories, witch tales, and other terrifying tales. Hosts Stephen Winick and John Fenn talk with AFC intern Hanna Salmon about scary stories in the new guide “Folktales and Oral Storytelling: Resources in the American Folklife Center Collections.” We then listen to and discuss a “Vanishing Hitchhiker” tale from Marty Weathers…
    • Contributor: Connie Regan-Blake - Marty Weathers - Stephen Winick - Bill Henry - Richard M. Dorson - Eartha M. M. White - Hanna Salmon - Stetson Kennedy - J. D. Suggs - John Fenn
    • Date: 2024-10-29
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    Storytelling and Folktale Traditions in the American Folklife Center Archive This episode looks at storytelling and folktale traditions in the American Folklife Center archives, including “Jack Tales,” tall tales, animal tales, and other stories. Hosts Stephen Winick and John Fenn talk with AFC intern Hanna Salmon about the new guide “Folktales and Oral Storytelling: Resources in the American Folklife Center Collections.” We then listen to and discuss excerpts of tales from North Carolina storyteller…
    • Contributor: Connie Regan-Blake - Evelia Andux - Carmen Agra Deedy - Ray Hicks - Stephen Winick - Tim Tingle - Hanna Salmon - Barbara Freeman - John Fenn - Evelio Andux
    • Date: 2024-09-30
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    Cormac Ó Haodha: Kluge Lomax Fellow from Cúil Aodha in the Múscraí gaeltacht of County Cork, Ireland. This episode looks at the work of Cormac Ó Haodha, who held the 2024 John B. Lovelace Fellowship for the study of the Alan Lomax collection, a position situated within the library’s Kluge Center. Cormac comes from Cúil Aodha in the Múscraí gaeltacht of County Cork, Ireland. He came the Library specifically to study recordings Alan Lomax made in January 1951, of singers local…
    • Contributor: Diarmuid Ó Riordáin - Stephen Winick - Seán Eoin Ó Súilleabháin - Elizabeth Cronin - Cormac Ó Haodha - Máire Ní Cheocháin - John Fenn
    • Date: 2024-05-31
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    2023 Summer Interns: Reflections and Research Guides This episode looks back at the recent work of Joseph Z. Johnson and Deena Owens, interns who created research guides on African American Banjo Playing and on Sacred Harp singing for the American Folklife Center. The interns talked about their work and shared a few of their favorite field recordings from our collections.More information on the songs as well as photos of some the…
    • Contributor: Elizabeth Cotton - Deena Owens - Dink Roberts - Stephen Winick - Stranger Home Baptist Church Singers - 1942 Alabama Sacred Harp Singing Convention - Joseph Z. Johnson - John Fenn
    • Date: 2023-10-31
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    The 2023 Homegrown Concert Series This episode looks back and ahead at the 2023 Homegrown Concert series, which is currently in progress. Hosts Stephen Winick and Michelle Stefano interview the series producer Theadocia Austen and folklife specialist Doug Peach. The participants talk about the series as a whole, and each picks one or two songs for us to hear. The episode contains songs from Jake Blount, (African American folk…
    • Contributor: Theadocia Austen - Kristian Blak - Jake Blount - Stephen Winick - Sharon Weiss - Spaelimenninir - Ali Doğan Gönültaş Quartet - Christylez Bacon - Doug Peach - Charlie Pilzer
    • Date: 2023-08-24
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    Asian Pacific American Heritage In this episode for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, John Fenn and Steve Winick invite guests to talk about Asian collections in the American Folklife Center. Allina Migoni talks about the earliest known recordings of Korean music, playing segments of a lecture by Robert Provine and a song sung by Ahn Jeong-Sik. Sara Ludewig discusses the Linda LaMacchia collection, including recordings made of Tibetan singers…
    • Contributor: Sara Ludewig - Robert Provine - Allina Migoni - Stephen Winick - John Fenn - Tenzin Choegyal
    • Date: 2023-05-26
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    Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories In this episode for Women’s History Month, Allina Migoni and Michelle Stefano take a look through the collections of the American Folklife Center to find insights into how women have shaped those around them and passed down their cultural traditions, and to listen to reflections about their identities and lives. The episode honors women in the American Folklife Center archive, including homemaker and cook…
    • Contributor: Zenna Todd - Yoshiko Nagashima - Theadocia Austen - Iyo Nagashima - Miiko Toelken - Allina Migoni - Kay Turner - Michelle Stefano - Geraldine Niva Johnson - Mary Sheppard Burton - Christine Cartwright - Sarah Sohn - David Nagashima - Donna Choate
    • Date: 2023-03-31
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    Groundhog Day In this episode, John Fenn, Michelle Stefano, and Stephen Winick discuss Groundhog Day traditions. Drawing on the research of Don Yoder, they discuss the history and folklore of the holiday, including groundhog traditions among the Pennsylvania Dutch, groundhog songs, weather proverbs, and even cooking and eating groundhogs! Songs include two versions of “Groundhog,” one of “Fod,” and one of “Prowling Groundhog.” More information on…
    • Contributor: George “shortbuckle” Roarke - Ernie Alston - King Family String Band - Stephen Winick - Michelle Stefano - John Fenn - Sam Chatmon
    • Date: 2023-02-02
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    Scary Stories for Halloween 2022 In this episode, hosts John Fenn and Stephen Winick introduce three scary stories for you to enjoy: a witch tale told by Appalachian singer and activist Aunt Molly Jackson, a ghost story told by blues musician and gravedigger John Jackson, and the story of Jack O Lantern told by folklorist Jack Santino. Steve and John also discuss a little of the history of Halloween,…
    • Contributor: Jack Santino - John Jackson - Aunt Molly Jackson - Stephen Winick - John Fenn
    • Date: 2022-10-27
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    Caught My Eye, Caught My Ear, Staff Edition, Including Tributes to Tony Barrand and Mick Moloney In this episode, hosts John Fenn and Stephen Winick talk with Jennifer Cutting about items that caught their eyes and ears. Cutting discusses commercial recordings of tunes collected by Cecil Sharp, and Winick tells stories of the recording sessions, which Sharp personally supervised and described in his diaries. Cutting discusses her friend, the late Tony Barrand, an important collector of morris dances. John Fenn…
    • Contributor: Prince’s Band - Liz Carroll - Stephen Winick - Tommy Maguire - Michael Flatley - Victor Band - Jennifer Cutting - Cecil Sharp - Victor Military Band - John Fenn
    • Date: 2022-09-20
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    Caught My Eye: Intern Edition! In this episode, hosts John Fenn and Stephen Winick interview American Folklife Center interns Bryan Jenkins and Elisa Alfonso. Jenkins discusses AFC’s Web Cultures Web Archive, and interviews AFC reference librarian Allina Migoni about it. Alfonso discusses several versions of the Latin American children’s song “Señora Santana,” and speaks of its association with the 1960s Cuban children’s exodus that later became known as Operación…
    • Contributor: Lottie Espinosa - Adelpha Pollato - Allina Migoni - Stephen Winick - Olga Acevedo - Ramona Ramirez - Elisa Alfonso - John Fenn - Bryan Jenkins
    • Date: 2022-09-12
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    Ukrainian Traditions at the American Folklife Center In this episode, hosts John Fenn and Michelle Stefano, with guest Thea Austen, explore Ukrainian materials in the American Folklife Center Archive. Interview segments include a discussion of Ukrainian embroidery and dance, between Geraldine Johnson and Taissa Decyk; and a discussion of a Ukrainian family bandura band who immigrated to the United States as refugees in the late 1940s, between Stephen Winick and Julian…
    • Contributor: Theadocia Austen - Solomia Gorokhivska - Stephen Winick - Michelle Stefano - Andrei Pidkivka - Geraldine Niva Johnson - Taissa Decyk - Julian Kytasty - Kalin Kirilov - John Fenn
    • Date: 2022-07-08
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    A Tribute to Irish American Women In this episode, hosts Stephen Winick and John Fenn, with guests Betsy Peterson, Jennifer Cutting, and Melanie Zeck, explore songs and music from Irish American women in the American Folklife Center archive. Performances include Maggie Hammons Parker singing “Ireland’s Green Shore,” Hattie Scott Gould playing “The Irish Washerwoman” on the fiddle, May Mulcahy playing “Nori from Gibberland” and “Put Your Little Foot Right There”…
    • Contributor: Maggie Hammons Parker - Liz Carroll - Eileen Gannon - Paula Johnson - Betsy Peterson - Stephen Winick - Melanie Zeck - Gary Ward Stanton - May Mulcahy - Tommy Maguire - Hattie Scott Gould - Jennifer Cutting - Carrie Grover - John Fenn
    • Date: 2022-03-28
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    Songs of Spring In this episode, hosts Stephen Winick and John Fenn, with guest Theadocia Austen, talk about songs of springtime, from agricultural and pastoral songs about farms and flowers to love ballads…and one dance tune. They also play the songs, including Pearl Nye’s version of “Early in the Spring,” the Copper Family’s rendition of “When Spring Comes On,” Baptiste Pierre’s version of the Haitian song “Fleurs,…
    • Contributor: Bob Copper - Jim Copper - Baptiste Pierre - Stephen Winick - Rubén Cobos - Chicago Zither Club - Warde Ford - Thea Austen - Pearl Nye - John Fenn
    • Date: 2022-02-28
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    La Llorona: Looking at a Ghost Story for Día de Muertos and Halloween This episode examines the story of La Llorona, the Weeping Woman of Mexican and Latin American ghostlore. Hosts Stephen Winick and John Fenn discuss Winick’s research into the legend for the Folklife Today blog, and interview three guests. Camille Acosta, who wrote a thesis about the Llorona legend, talks about her research and the meanings the story has for kids and adults. Allina Migoni,…
    • Contributor: Mamselle Ruiz - Allina Migoni - Stephen Winick - Camille Acosta - Trio Aurora - Navigaciones Pedro Manuel - Juan Dies - John Fenn - Sones De Mexico Ensemble
    • Date: 2021-10-27
  • Audio Recording
    The 2021 Homegrown at Home Concert Series This episode looks back at the 2021 Homegrown at Home Concert series. Hosts John Fenn and Stephen Winick interview the series producer Theadocia Austen and folklife interns Kennedi Johnson and Camille Acosta. The participants talk about the series as a whole, and each picks one or two songs for us to hear. The episode contains songs from Neli Andreeva (Bulgarian traditional song), Brother Arnold…
    • Contributor: Mamselle Ruiz - Kennedi Johnson - Radiance Choir - Theadocia Austen - Brother Arnold Hadd - Stephen Winick - Camille Acosta - Harbanger - Martin Carthy - Samite Mulongo - Hubby Jenkins - Neli Andreeva - John Fenn
    • Date: 2021-09-28
  • Audio Recording
    Summer Songs Part 2 This episode continues our look at songs about summer, from the amorous adventures of young lovers to the backbreaking work done by convicts in the sun. Hosts John Fenn and Stephen Winick, along with guest Jennifer Cutting, present their favorite summer songs. Songs include the English “Sweet Primroses;” the Trinidadian “One Fine Summer’s Morning” and “June Come, You No Marry;” the Tuvan “In Summer…
    • Contributor: James Griffin - Colin Davis - Mrs. Francisco Etcheverry - Matias Etcheverry - Cephus Louis - Stephen Winick - Kara-Kys Namzatovna Munzuk - Jennifer Cutting - John Fenn
    • Date: 2021-09-15
  • Audio Recording
    Summer Songs Part 1 This episode looks at songs about summer, from the amorous adventures of young lovers to the backbreaking work done by convicts in the sun. Hosts John Fenn and Stephen Winick, along with guests Nicki Saylor and Jennifer Cutting, present their favorite summer songs. Songs include the Finnish “Kesa Ilta,” the Tuvan “Let The Sun Shine On My Verdant Summer,” the African American work song…
    • Contributor: Aleksandr Laptan - Bascom Lamar Lunsford - In the Willows - Clyde Hill - Mose Bellaire - Nicole Saylor - Stephen Winick - Kara-Kys Namzatovna Munzuk - Jalmar and Mamie Nukala - Jennifer Cutting - John Fenn
    • Date: 2021-08-09
  • Audio Recording
    Hidden Folklorists: Langston Hughes, with guests Langston Collin Wilkins and Sophie Abramowitz This episode looks at a “Hidden Folklorist” renowned as a poet and playwright: Langston Hughes. It includes interviews with folklorist Langston Collin Wilkins and Hughes scholar Sophie Abramowitz. Wilkins and Abramowitz show us how Langston Hughes’s folklore work was grounded in song collecting and vernacular expression, and committed to the visionary futurity of Black folkloric creativity. We also explore Hughes’s connections to the American…
    • Contributor: Mississippi John Hurt - Langston Collin Wilkins - Stephen Winick - Sophie Abramowitz - Buena Flint - John Fenn
    • Date: 2021-06-30