Folk music

Folklore Archive: Student Field Projects Photographs

drice — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 10:52:13 -0500

The Folklore Archive, established in 1939 by WSU English professors Emlyn Gardner and Thelma James, contains the oldest and largest record of urban folk traditions in the United States. To document these traditions, Wayne State University students conducted field research projects, some of which included photographic records. Collection consists of 71 projects (or aggregations of multiple projects on a single topic) conducted by student interviewer-collectors. Student field research projects cover a broad range of topics, with strengths in cultural object analysis, including quilting, artwork, Slavic eggs, and various handicrafts. There are several images of Edvard Kozak, a Ukrainian artist. The cultural diversity of the Detroit area is expressed in representations of Middle Eastern, Lebanese, Ukrainian, Greek, Italian, French-Canadian, German, Czechoslovakian, and African-American persons and their customs.

Folklore Archive: Student Field Projects Records

drice — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 10:50:49 -0400

Folklore Archive: Studies and Research Projects Records

drice — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:26:58 -0500

The Folklore Archive, established in 1939, contains the oldest and largest record of urban folk traditions in the United States. To document these traditions, Wayne State University students conducted field research projects covering a broad range of topics. The archive is strong in modern industrial and occupational folklore, reflecting the rich ethnic diversity and work-oriented heritage of Detroit and southeastern Michigan. The Folklore Archive: Studies and Research Projects Records contain transcripts and research studies related to Greek-American family life, Southern upland migrant folk culture, traditional medical beliefs and American folk music.

Thelma G. James Papers

thenning — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 13:31:39 -0400

Thelma G. James joined Wayne State University in 1923, known then as the College of the City of Detroit. As a professor in the English department, she taught courses on folklore and the Bible as literature. James' research concentrated on folklore and folk medicine practices of various nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. In 1939, James co-founded the Wayne State University Folklore Archive with fellow English professor Emelyn Gardner. Now the oldest and largest record of urban folk traditions in the United States, this extensive archive was the culmination of interviews conducted by James, Gardner, and their students. Throughout her career, James developed a national reputation as a pioneer of folklore studies and had had a significant impact on the Wayne State community. She received the status of Professor Emeritus upon her retirement in 1967.

This collection contains the personal papers of Thelma James, records documenting the history and organizational methods of the Wayne State University Folklore Archive, and Folklore Archive card files on diseases and other topics collected from individuals in Michigan and Detroit from a broad range of nationalities and ethnicities. The card files in this collection include Albanian, African American, Native American, Armenian, Canadian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Lithuanian, Maltese, Mexican, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Scottish, Swedish, Syrian, Turkish, and Ukrainian folklore.

Emma Schaver Papers

drice — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:58:07 -0400

Emma Lazaroff Schaver (March 15, 1905 - February 4, 2003) was best known as a Jewish opera and folk singer and Labor Zionist. She was a member of the first Jewish delegation to the Displaced Persons camps after World War II where she sang to survivors of the Holocaust. She toured the United States, Canada, Europe and South and Central America as a soprano with various opera companies and as a soloist. Along with her husband, Morris Schaver, Emma was respected for promoting Jewish culture in the United States, and for philanthropic work in the local Detroit Jewish community and Israel.

The Emma Schaver Papers contain correspondence with family, friends, and Zionist and Israeli leaders covering her career, philanthropic and Zionist activities. The collection also includes correspondence, diary fragments, notebooks, authorization papers, and photographs from her experiences in the D. P. camps as well as manuscript copies of her book in Hebrew, Yiddish and English. Her music career is highlighted through newspaper clippings and publicity, photographs, and sound recordings as well as concert posters and programs. Her charitable work and Zionist activities are documented through newspaper clippings and publicity, as well as medals, awards and plaques she received in honor of her work for Israel and Jewish culture. A large number of scrapbooks can be found, both assembled by Emma and given to her, which highlight her career and activities, as well as those of her husband, Morris, and son, Isaac. Emma's personal life is represented largely through a significant number of family photographs, and photo albums.

Utah Phillips Papers

aorchard — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 12:19:57 -0400

Bruce Duncan Phillips (1935-2008), better known as Utah Phillips, was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 15, 1935. He became well known as a folk singer, performer, storyteller, and activist beginning in the late 1960s and continued to be a prominent figure in the American folk and labor communities for the following four decades.

The Utah Phillips Papers document the personal, professional, and political activities of Utah Phillips. The papers include correspondence, interviews, writings, notes, contracts, flyers, publications, articles, clippings, photographs, audiovisual recordings, and other materials.

Collection Spotlight: The Utah Phillips Papers

Public Relations Team — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 09:40:56 -0400

Bruce Duncan “Utah” Phillips (1935-2008) was one of the most prominent members of the American folk community in the latter half of the 20th century. He became well known as a folk singer, storyteller, poet, radio host, and activist beginning in the late 1960s and continued to be a distinguished figure in the folk and labor communities for the following four decades. The Walter P. Reuther Library, the repository for the Utah Phillips Papers, is pleased to announce that the collection is now open for research. read more »

In Memoriam: Pete Seeger, 1919-2014

cwesterman — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:05:44 -0500

The folksinger and activist Pete Seeger died Monday, January 27, 2014 at the age of 94, bringing to an end a career that lasted from the Great Depression to the twenty-first century. His lifelong engagement with culture and politics, and his deep commitment to the labor movement, brought him into continual contact with the rank and file of unionized American workers. In 1939, when Seeger was 20 years old, he worked in the Library of Congress Archive of American Folk Song as an assistant to the musicologist Alan Lomax, and it seems fitting that this onetime archivist is so well represented in the archives and manuscripts of the Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs. No fewer than twelve collections in the Reuther Library collections include correspondence, recordings, or other first-hand evidence of his career. read more »

(31453) Cesar Chavez, Pete Seeger in Washington DC, 1974

mwallace — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 11:45:26 -0500

Cesar Chavez with Pete Seeger. Cesar Chavez at the Washington DC premier of “Bound for Glory: the Woody Guthrie Story,” 1974.

Left to Right: Pete Seeger, unidenitified man, Cesar Chavez, Unidentified woman. Arlo Guthrie is standing behind Cesar.

(32039) Utah Phillips Singing to Polly Stewart, circa 1965

aorchard — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 11:03:45 -0400

Utah Phillips (labeled "Bruce D. Phillips" on the back of the photograph) sings to Polly Stewart.

(32369) Utah Phillips Performing at a Rally, Autographed Photograph, circa 2000s

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:02:23 -0400

Utah Phillips at a rally in Grass Valley, CA. Signed "Solidarity, U. Utah Phillips."

(32372) Utah Phillips Speaking During a Performance, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:13:13 -0400

Utah Phillips holding a guitar and speaking into a microphone in front of an Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union sign.

(32373) Utah Phillips Holding a Booklet and Speaking During a Performance, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:15:30 -0400

Utah Phillips holding a booklet and speaking into a microphone in front of an Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union sign.

(32374) Utah Phillips Raising His Arms and Speaking During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:19:25 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is looking to the right with his arms spread while speaking into the microphone.

(32375) Utah Phillips Playing Guitar and Facing the Crowd During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:21:15 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is playing a guitar and facing toward the camera.

(32376) Utah Phillips Performing in Front of an IWW Banner, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:26:15 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is playing a guitar and facing away from the camera.

(32377) Utah Phillips Holding a Book and Speaking During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:27:54 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is holding a book in his left hand and is speaking into the microphone.

(32378) Utah Phillips Clenching His Fists During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:29:24 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is looking down at his clenched fists.

(32379) Utah Phillips, Holding his Hat and Guitar During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:31:36 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is wearing a hat, holding a guitar, and raising his left arm.

(32380) Utah Phillips Adjusting His Glasses During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:33:04 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah has a book on his knee and is adjusting his glasses.

(32381) Utah Phillips Speaking During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:35:25 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is speaking into the microphone and pointing his hands at each underneath the microphone stand.

(32382) Utah Phillips Pointing His Fingers Together During a Performance, Washington, circa 1980

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 14:40:42 -0400

Utah Phillips performing in Washington state in front of an Industrial Workers of the World sign. Utah is pointing his hands at each other above the microphone stand.

(32384) Utah Phillips and Pete Seeger Performing, July 1978

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:38:46 -0400

Utah Phillips and Pete Seeger performing together. Utah is sitting and clapping his hands while Pete Seeger is standing and playing guitar.

(32385) Utah Phillips and Pete Seeger, "Art About Work" Session, circa 2000

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:41:45 -0400

Utah Phillips and Pete Seeger participating in an "Art About Work" session at the Western Workers Labor Heritage Festival. They are sitting in front of an International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1781 sign and wearing badges reading "Ask Me About Local 1000." Pete Seeger is speaking into a microphone.

(32387) Utah Phillips Performing Outdoors on Stage, circa 1970s

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:45:45 -0400

Utah Phillips on stage, standing next to a folding wooden chair. Utah is holding a guitar, has a cup in his left hand, and is wearing a hat. An unidentified man is standing off to to the side of the stage.

(32388) Utah Phillips Performing, circa 1970s

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:48:20 -0400

Utah Phillips on stage. Utah is sitting down and holding a guitar. He is speaking into a microphone, with his right fist clenched and his left hand held out in front of the guitar.

(32389) Utah Phillips Smiling and Playing the Guitar, circa 1970s

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:50:08 -0400

Utah Phillips in performance. Utah is standing, playing the guitar, and smiling.

(32390) Utah Phillips Leaning Back on Stage, circa 1970s

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:51:48 -0400

Utah Phillips on stage. Utah is leaning back in a chair, with his right arm around his guitar and holding a piece of paper in his right hand. An unidentified man is behind Utah and to the left.

(32391) Utah Phillips Performing, circa 1970s

aorchard — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 15:53:03 -0400

Utah Phillips in performance. Utah is sitting on a chair, playing the guitar, and singing into a microphone.

[Podcast] Hillbilly Highway: Charting White Migration from Appalachia to the Industrial Midwest

teller — Fri, 03 May 2024 08:47:31 -0400

Dr. Max Fraser shares the often overlooked story of the “hillbilly highway,” the route nearly eight million poor, rural, white Americans took in the 20th century from economically depressed areas in the Southeastern and Southern United States toward higher paying factory jobs in the Upper South and Midwest. read more »