Arkansas
odd: label: Introduction
content: The third program to focus on a particular State, the Arkansas presentations at the 1970 Festival sought to give visitors an overview of the State's folklife and to present an intensive picture of the persistence and variety of the area's folk cultural patterns. The Swiss and Italians who settled in Arkansas in the late nineteenth century with the black farmers of the delta and with the mountaineers, whose forebears hailed from Britain, are contributors to the patchwork of traditional cultures characterizing the State of Arkansas. Festival programming sought to emphasize this diversity and mutual influence. Musician Jimmy Driftwood loaded up a bus with dozens of his friends and neighbors from Mountain View and nearby Ozark communities and drove two days to Washington. Other presentations included electric blues from West Memphis and black gospel singing, as well as various string band traditions. Craft presentations included chairmakers, musical instrument makers, tool makers, and decorative arts, as well as makers of wine and sorghum.

Sponsorship for the Arkansas presentation came from the Honorable Winthrop Rockefeller, Governor of Arkansas, the Arkansas State Parks Recreation-Travel, and the Crossett Art League.
label: Fieldworkers
content: Mae Francis Johnson, Brenda Jones, Worth Long, Mack McCormick, Bernice Reagon, Jerry Ricks, Jane Sapp
label: Participants
content: Craftspeople

Myra Adams, 1906-1987, corn cookery, Arkansas

Dallas Bump, 1918-2016, chair maker, Arkansas

Fred Bump, 1894-1977, chair maker, Arkansas

Floyd Carter, fishing lures, Arkansas

Ruth Marie Carter, fishing lures, Arkansas

Charles Christian, chair maker, Arkansas

Betty Christian, chair maker, Arkansas

Junior Cobb, wood carver, Arkansas

Jimmy Nelson, wood carver, Arkansas

Isaac Doss, blacksmith, Arkansas

Deborah Gibbs, silhouette cutter, Arkansas

La Vonne Gibbs, silhouette cutter, Arkansas

George Gibson, basket maker, Arkansas

Ben Harris, cooper, Arkansas

Roy Harris, 1920-, carver, doll maker, Arkansas

Alma Harris, 1919-1993, carver, doll maker, Arkansas

Violet Hensley, 1916-, fiddle maker, Arkansas

Sandra Hensley, fiddle maker, Arkansas

John C. Hoovler, 1908-1993, knife and tool maker, Arkansas

V. Otis Johnson, turkey caller maker, Arkansas

Len McSpadden, dulcimer maker, Arkansas

Elliott Hancock, dulcimer maker, Arkansas

Alice Merryman, corn husk broom and doll maker, Arkansas

Bill Phillips, log cabin builder, Arkansas

Claude Phillips, log cabin builder, Arkansas

Tim Sparks, basket maker, Arkansas

Morbuert Stewart, corn miller, Arkansas

Kevin Stewart, corn miller, Arkansas

Ira Tillman, Sr., sorghum maker, Arkansas

Erma Jean Tillman, sorghum maker, Arkansas

Harvey Lee Tillman, sorghum maker, Arkansas

Ira Tillman, Jr., sorghum maker, Arkansas

Johnny Lee Tillman, sorghum maker, Arkansas

Fred Tillman, sorghum maker, Arkansas

Willie Lee Tillman, sorghum maker, Arkansas

Dorothy Tillman Husky, sorghum maker, Arkansas

Essie Ward, 1902-1981, country scene painter, Arkansas

Herman Wiederkehr, 1895-1985, wine maker, Arkansas

Al Wiederkehr, 1897-1974, wine maker, Arkansas

Brenda Wiederkehr, wine maker, Arkansas

Gail Wiederkehr, wine maker, Arkansas

Grace I. Wilson, quilter, Arkansas

Performers

Children's Game Group, black singing games, Arkansas

July Clemonson, dulcimer player, Arkansas

Jimmie Driftwood, 1907-1998, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas

Cleda Driftwood, 1918-2004, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas

Copeland Family Band  -- Copeland Family BandPercy Copeland, 1914-2008, member of family band, including harmonica and strings, ArkansasIda Copeland, 1918-1997, member of family band, including harmonica and strings, ArkansasDale Copeland, member of family band, including harmonica and strings, ArkansasBetty Lou Copeland, 1958-, member of family band, including harmonica and strings, Arkansas

Ohlen Fendley, 1910-1993, jig-dancer, Arkansas

Retha M. Fendley, 1916-2004, jig-dancer, Arkansas

Ollie Gilbert, 1892-1980, ballad singer, Arkansas

Walter Gosser, 1937-2009, banjo player, Arkansas

Loving Sisters  -- Loving SistersGladys McFadden, gospel singer, ArkansasJosephine Dumas, gospel singer, ArkansasAnna James, gospel singer, ArkansasLorraine Leeks, gospel singer, ArkansasLeonard Givens, organist, Arkansas

Gospel singers  -- Gospel singersRev. Myron Parrish, gospel singer, ArkansasWanda Parrish, gospel singer, ArkansasPatti Jane Parrish, gospel singer, ArkansasGene Emberton, gospel singer, ArkansasFay Emberton, gospel singer, Arkansas

Caroline Rainbolt, 1913-2006, jig dancer, Arkansas

Almeda Riddle, 1898-1986, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas

Jean Simmons, dulcimer player, Arkansas

Pam Simmons, dulcimer player, Arkansas

Tommy Simmons, dulcimer player, Arkansas

String band  -- String bandLonnie Avey, 1910-1983, guitarist in string band, ArkansasSeth Mize, 1901-1977, fiddler in string band, ArkansasBookmiller Shannon, 1908-1985, banjo player in string band, ArkansasBob Blair, fiddler in string band, ArkansasWesley Blair, guitarist in string band, ArkansasDean Hinsley, mandolin in string band, Arkansas

Ira Tillman Family, shape note singers (7-shape), Arkansas

Sherman Ward, 1933-1995, guitarist and singer, Arkansas

Phyllis Whitfield, dulcimer player, Arkansas

Joe Willie Wilkins Blues Band  -- Joe Willie Wilkins Blues BandJoe Willie Wilkins, 1923-1979, lead guitarist, ArkansasTheophlies "Fat Hurd" Hessensha, 1922-1977, drummer, ArkansasHouston Stackhouse, 1910-1980, rhythm guitarist, ArkansasWillie Kilgrew, bass player, ArkansasSammy Lewis, harmonica player, Arkansas
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1970 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1970, Series 2
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials