The Mississippi Delta
odd: label: Introduction
content: The Mississippi Delta is the area formed by the alluvial flood plain of the lower Mississippi River and incorporating parts of four states, a region distinguished by both geographic and cultural characteristics. From the flat, rich land of west Tennessee through parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the entire region owes many of its cultural traditions to the Mississippi River and the many smaller rivers that permeate the area, some with names reflective of the Native Americans who first settled there or other groups who came later. Entire communities, operating with varying codes and customs based on indigenous traditions, have evolved around the region's rivers and bayous: from the commercial fisherfolk, trappers, and towboat workers, whose houses often cluster near major rivers, landings, and levees; to African American ministers and their congregations, who wade into the waters to baptize believers "the old way"; to the privileged planters' sons, whose membership in the exclusive hunting clubs along the river is bestowed by the accident of birth. The rivers are imbued with personal, local, and regional symbolism and significance.

Today's Delta is still largely rural and agricultural, its economy very closely tied to the land. In spite of a century of clearing, cultivating, draining, and land leveling, the region retains its primitive swamps, bayous, and cypress brakes. It was the environmental wonder and agricultural richness of the region that led a diversity of cultural groups to settle there - or to be brought there, against their will, to cultivate its fields. For instance, in the 1890s several Mississippi plantation owners fretted over the declining work force and looked to Italy for a solution in the form of sharecroppers. Arkansas planters similarly brought Chinese to the Delta.

Though the largest percentages of residents today are black African Americans and white Anglo-Saxons, the region also has substantial populations of people of Jewish, Chinese, Lebanese, Syrian, Italian, Greek, and Mexican ancestry. One can observe small Chinese groceries in many Delta towns, the large presence of Italian families and traditions throughout Mississippi and Arkansas, and the wonderful assimilation of ethnic foodways such as Delta tamales, probably brought to the Delta by Mexican farm workers who came to earn a living in the cotton fields.

The Mississippi Delta program at the 1997 Festival cast its spotlight not only on the diverse musical traditions that evolved or were invented in the Delta, but also at the occupations associated with the land and water, the crafts and foodways that utilized the region's natural resources, the amusements that provided diversion to Delta residents, and the worshipping practices that gave them solace and strength.

The program was curated by a team that included Deborah Boykin, Joyce Jackson, Worth Long, Michael Luster, Maida Owens, Diana Parker, Tom Rankin, Arlene Reiniger, and Susan Roach. Arlene Reiniger also served as Program Coordinator.

Support for the program came from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation, and the Recording Industries Music Performance Trust Funds.
label: Presenters
content: Deborah Boykin, John T. Edge, Joyce Jackson, Worth Long, Michael Luster, Francesca McLean, Maida Owens, Wiley Prewitt, Tom Rankin, Susan Roach
label: Participants
content: HOME AREA

Gene Chinn, Chinese traditions, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Noah Chinn, Chinese traditions, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Bradley Chow, Chinese traditions, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Gilroy Chow, Chinese traditions, Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Lisa Chow, Chinese traditions, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Sally Chow, Chinese traditions, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Dinni Clark, Southern cook, Columbus, Mississippi

Lawrence M. Craig, barbecue cook, DeValls Bluff, Arkansas

Lucinda Cusic, Southern cook, Leland, Mississippi

Georgie Fisher, gardener, flower arranger, Greenville, Mississippi

Albert Kelly, barbecue pit maker, Monroe, Louisiana

Jewel McCain, tamale maker, Vicksburg, Mississippi

Irma Rodriguez, tamale maker, Natchitoches, Louisiana

Martha Skelton, quilter, Vicksburg, Mississippi

Henrietta Taylor, quilter, Greenville, Mississippi

Alice Virden, gardener, flower arranger, Greenville, Mississippi

Edna White, tatter, Jackson, Mississippi

Tampa Wilson, basket maker, Bentonia, Mississippi

PLAY AREA

Delta Dance Hall

Eddie Cusic, blues guitar, Leland, Mississippi

THE TIM LAUGHLIN'S NEW ORLEANS DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND, Dixieland Jazz  -- THE TIM LAUGHLIN'S NEW ORLEANS DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND, Dixieland JazzEd Dowling, trumpet, New Orleans, LouisianaDavid Hansen, drums, New Orleans, LouisianaTim Laughlin, clarinet, New Orleans, LouisianaTom Roberts, piano, Annapolis, MarylandDavid Sager, trombone, Washington, D.C.

BIG LUCKY & HIS MIGHTY MEN OF SOUND, Traditional Blues, Memphis, Tennessee  -- BIG LUCKY & HIS MIGHTY MEN OF SOUND, Traditional Blues, Memphis, TennesseeShirley Bobo, vocalsLevester "Big Lucky" Carter, guitar, vocalsWillie "Boogieman" Hubbard, keyboardsMelvin Lee, bassDavid Valentine, drums, vocals

KENNY BILL STINSON & THE ARK-Louisiana-MYSTICS, Rockabilly  -- KENNY BILL STINSON & THE ARK-Louisiana-MYSTICS, RockabillyKevin Gordon, electric guitar, Nashville, TennesseePaul Griffith, drums, Nashville, TennesseeLorne Rail, bass guitar, Nashville, TennesseeKenny Bill Stinson, piano, guitar, W. Monroe, Louisiana

SWEET MISS COFFY & THE MISSISSIPPI BURN'IN BLUES BAND, Soul Blues  -- SWEET MISS COFFY & THE MISSISSIPPI BURN'IN BLUES BAND, Soul BluesDennis Bonds, guitar, Jackson, MississippiGregory Dishmon, drums, Pearl, MississippiVeeta Hatten, keyboards, vocals, Jackson, MississippiWillie James Hatten, bass guitar, Jackson, MississippiGeorge Myrick, guitar, Jackson, MississippiClaude C. Wells, keyboards, Jackson, Mississippi

THE RUFUS THOMAS GROUP, Rhythm & Blues, Memphis, Tennessee  -- THE RUFUS THOMAS GROUP, Rhythm & Blues, Memphis, TennesseeJimmy Kinnard, bassCharles Pitts, guitarJames Robertson, drumsJim Spake, tenor saxMarvell Thomas, keyboardsRufus Thomas, vocalsScott Thompson, trumpet

Camp Site

Bob Neill, camp activities, Leland, Mississippi

Butch Richenbach, duck caller, Stuttgart, Arkansas

Ann Sides, camp activities, Rosedale, Mississippi

George Sides, camp caretaker, Rosedale, Mississippi

WORK AREA

Mabry Anderson, crop duster, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Harry Williams Branton, catfish farmer, Leland, Mississippi

Collins Brent, boat works, Greenville, Mississippi

Grady "Bubba" Brown, crop duster, Lake Providence, Louisiana

Wayne "Tookie" Collom, cotton work, harmonica, Rayville, Louisiana

Henry Dorsey, cotton work, guitar, Rayville, Louisiana

Robroy Fisher, cotton farmer, Greenville, Mississippi

Penny Morris, net maker, Yazoo City, Mississippi

Tom Morris, net maker, Yazoo City, Mississippi

Billy Pearson, cotton farmer, Sumner, Mississippi

Phil Robertson, hunting & fishing skills, W. Monroe, Louisiana

Oren Russell, towboat captain, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Hugh Warren, catfish farmer, Indianola, Mississippi

WORSHIP AREA

Worship Crafts

Rabbi David Skopp, Jewish crafts, Memphis, Tennessee

Annie Staten, baptismal robe maker, Monroe, Louisiana

Gayle Steen, altar cloth maker, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Martha Weissinger, christening gown maker, Greenville, Mississippi

Worship Stage

Penola Caesar, lined-out hymns, Monroe, Louisiana

THE GERALD LEWIS SINGERS, Gospel  -- THE GERALD LEWIS SINGERS, GospelBilly Bays, electric guitar, bass guitar, Crossett, ArkansasRenee Calongne, vocals, W. Monroe, LouisianaKelvin Clark, electric guitar, W. Monroe, LouisianaFreedona Dobbins, vocals, W. Monroe, LouisianaAllan Eppinette, electric guitar, bass guitar, Monroe, LouisianaNick Ezell, steel guitar, Bastrop, LouisianaChuck Harris, drums, Bastrop, LouisianaGerald Lewis, piano, Monroe, Louisiana

MARVIN MYLES FAMILY, Gospel  -- MARVIN MYLES FAMILY, GospelKeith Myles, vocals, Washington, D.C.LaShondra Myles, vocals, Lyon, MississippiRev. Marvin Myles, vocals, Lyon, MississippiMarvin Myles, II, vocals, Lyon, MississippiMelvin Myles, vocals, Lyon, MississippiOlivia Myles, coordinator, Lyon, MississippiSamantha Myles, vocals, Lyon, MississippiMichael Thomas, keyboards, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Reverend Willie Morganfield, oratory skills, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Brother Phillip Payne, oratory skills, Lake Village, Arkansas

REVELATORS, Gospel  -- REVELATORS, GospelGene Coghlan, vocals, Drew, MississippiJim Ellis, vocals, guitar, Drew, MississippiCarl Massengail, guitar, banjo, vocals, Jayess, MississippiHerbie Swain, vocals, guitar, Cleveland, Mississippi

WINNSBORO EASTER ROCK ENSEMBLE, Winnsboro, Louisiana  -- WINNSBORO EASTER ROCK ENSEMBLE, Winnsboro, LouisianaHattie M. AddisonLaketa AddisonBooker T. BurkhalterSheila JacksonJimmy JonesTammie LynchShirley SpearsRev. Lionell Wilson
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1997 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1997, Series 3
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials