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
    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: Jennifer Cutting - Stephen Winick - Margaret - Lillian Short - Thea Hopkins - Mary Trotchie - Meg Nicholas
    • 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: Marty Weathers - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Stetson Kennedy - Bill Henry - Eartha M. M. White - Hanna Salmon - J. D. Suggs - Connie Regan-Blake - Richard M. Dorson
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Barbara Freeman - Evelia Andux - Hanna Salmon - Carmen Agra Deedy - Connie Regan-Blake - Ray Hicks - Evelio Andux - Tim Tingle
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Elizabeth Cronin - Máire Ní Cheocháin - Diarmuid Ó Riordáin - Seán Eoin Ó Súilleabháin - Cormac Ó Haodha
    • 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: Stranger Home Baptist Church Singers - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Joseph Z. Johnson - Elizabeth Cotton - 1942 Alabama Sacred Harp Singing Convention - Dink Roberts - Deena Owens
    • 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: Stephen Winick - Christylez Bacon - Doug Peach - Sharon Weiss - Kristian Blak - Charlie Pilzer - Jake Blount - Ali Doğan Gönültaş Quartet - Spaelimenninir - Theadocia Austen
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Allina Migoni - Robert Provine - Tenzin Choegyal - Sara Ludewig
    • 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: Geraldine Niva Johnson - Zenna Todd - Michelle Stefano - Miiko Toelken - Kay Turner - Allina Migoni - Christine Cartwright - Mary Sheppard Burton - Yoshiko Nagashima - Sarah Sohn - Iyo Nagashima - Theadocia Austen - 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Michelle Stefano - Sam Chatmon - Ernie Alston - George “shortbuckle” Roarke - King Family String Band
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Jack Santino - John Jackson - Aunt Molly Jackson
    • 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: Jennifer Cutting - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Victor Military Band - Michael Flatley - Tommy Maguire - Cecil Sharp - Prince’s Band - Liz Carroll - Victor Band
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Elisa Alfonso - Lottie Espinosa - Ramona Ramirez - Allina Migoni - Olga Acevedo - Adelpha Pollato - 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: Geraldine Niva Johnson - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Kalin Kirilov - Michelle Stefano - Solomia Gorokhivska - Julian Kytasty - Taissa Decyk - Theadocia Austen - Andrei Pidkivka
    • 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: Jennifer Cutting - May Mulcahy - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Hattie Scott Gould - Eileen Gannon - Gary Ward Stanton - Carrie Grover - Tommy Maguire - Betsy Peterson - Liz Carroll - Melanie Zeck - Maggie Hammons Parker - Paula Johnson
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Bob Copper - Chicago Zither Club - Warde Ford - Baptiste Pierre - Pearl Nye - Rubén Cobos - Thea Austen - Jim Copper
    • 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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Camille Acosta - Sones De Mexico Ensemble - Allina Migoni - Trio Aurora - Mamselle Ruiz - Juan Dies - Navigaciones Pedro Manuel
    • 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: Neli Andreeva - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Harbanger - Camille Acosta - Brother Arnold Hadd - Hubby Jenkins - Radiance Choir - Mamselle Ruiz - Samite Mulongo - Theadocia Austen - Martin Carthy - Kennedi Johnson
    • 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: Jennifer Cutting - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Colin Davis - Kara-Kys Namzatovna Munzuk - Cephus Louis - James Griffin - Matias Etcheverry - Mrs. Francisco Etcheverry
    • 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: Jennifer Cutting - Nicole Saylor - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Jalmar and Mamie Nukala - Bascom Lamar Lunsford - Kara-Kys Namzatovna Munzuk - Mose Bellaire - In the Willows - Aleksandr Laptan - Clyde Hill
    • Date: 2021-08-09
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    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: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Buena Flint - Mississippi John Hurt - Langston Collin Wilkins - Sophie Abramowitz
    • Date: 2021-06-30
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    Hidden Folklorists: Becky Elzy, Alberta Bradford and E.A. McIlhenny, with guest Joshua Clegg Caffery This episode looks at three “Hidden Folklorists” from Louisiana with special guest Joshua Clegg Caffery from the Center for Louisiana Studies at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. The Hidden Folklorists are Becky Elzy and Alberta Bradford, two spiritual singers who had been born in slavery, but who years later sang over a hundred spirituals for collectors; and E.A. McIlhenny, the head of the Tabasco…
    • Contributor: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Becky Elzy - Alan Lomax - Alberta Bradford - Joshua Clegg Caffery - Jimmy Peters and Group
    • Date: 2021-05-28
  • Audio Recording
    “Colorado Morton’s Ride” This episode Presents the poem “Colorado Morton’s Ride,” also known as “Colorado Morton’s Last Ride.” It’s a ten-minute narrative poem recited by Fred Soule at the Farm Security Administration (FSA) camp in Visalia, California on September 2, 1941. The poem was recorded on an instantaneous disc by Charles Todd and Robert Sonkin, two fieldworkers collecting folksongs for the Library of Congress. It was written…
    • Contributor: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Fred Soule
    • Date: 2021-04-30
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    Folklife and Poetry This episode looks at folk poetry, with discussions of four poetry-themed collections in the American Folklife Center. Guest Anne Holmes of the Library of Congress Literary Initiatives Division discusses “Living Nations, Living Words,” the signature project of the Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. Harjo, the first Native American Poet Laureate, has curated a collection of poetry by Native American poets, which includes recordings of the…
    • Contributor: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Michelle Stefano - Meezie Hermansen - Fred Soule - Marjan Naderi - Anne Holmes - M.L. Smoker - Kerry Ward
    • Date: 2021-04-30
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    The Green Book and African American Travel with Candacy Taylor This episode presents an interview with Candacy Taylor, whose latest project is documenting sites associated with the Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide for African Americans during the Jim Crow era. Taylor discusses the dangers inherent in travel for Black people during an era where racial discrimination was legal and open racism was common. She fills us in on the origins of the…
    • Contributor: John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Calvin Frazier - Candacy Taylor - Enid Pinkney - Leah Chase - Jerry Markowitz - Sampson Pittman - Nelson Malden
    • Date: 2021-02-25
  • Audio Recording
    Sea Shanties This episode presents an introduction to sea shanties, including a discussion of the word “shanty” or “chantey;” a discussion of the roots of shanties; the history of shanties; the subtypes of short-haul shanties, halyard shanties, and capstan shanties; the importance of the African American and Afro-Caribbean communities to shanties; and the prevalence of women singing shanties. The episode presents six shanties, “Pay Me My…
    • Contributor: Claudette Hazel - Miss Finger - Alex Barr - Alberta Harrigan - Ship’s Company Chanteymen - Louisa Carty - Mike Bosworth - Alan Lomax - Richard Maitland - Arthur Brodeur ... Claudette Hazel - Miss Finger - Alex Barr - Alberta Harrigan - Ship’s Company Chanteymen - Louisa Carty - Mike Bosworth - Alan Lomax - Richard Maitland - Arthur Brodeur - James A. Gumbs - Edith Richardson - Estelle Reid - Georgia Sea Island Singers - Edith Lloyd - Dallas Valley - Charles J. Finger - Florence Brooks - Eugenie Carter - John Fenn - Stephen Winick - Evans Hughes - John Davis - Leighton Robinson - Myron Peterson - John A. Lomax - Leighton McKenzie
    • Date: 2021-01-29