Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1968 Festival of American Folklife
odd: label: Introduction
content: After the 1967 Festival proved to be a great success, the Smithsonian decided that the Festival of American Folklife would become an annual event. The 1968 Festival took place July 3-7 on the National Mall, between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive and between 10th Street and 14th Street, south of the Museum of History and Technology and the Museum of Natural History (see site map). It followed the same approach that had proven effective in 1967, but innovated by also including a program focused on a single State, Texas.

As in 1967, the Festival was organized by the Division of Performing Arts, James R. Morris, Director, and directed by Festival Director Ralph C. Rinzler.

The 1968 Program Book included information to complement each of the programs, ranging from discussions of the definitions of folklore and folklife to the relations between folklife and cultural history. Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley, in his introduction to the booklet, noted that:

The Festival of American Folklife offers the Smithsonian Institution an opportunity to show through demonstration and performance some aspects of the cultural roots of the people of the United States. The Festival is a living exhibition of the creativity of the many ethnic groups that make up the culture of this country.

After the 1967 Festival proved to be a great success, the Smithsonian decided that the Festival of American Folklife would become an annual event. The 1968 Festival took place July 3-7 on the National Mall, between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive and between 10th Street and 14th Street, south of the Museum of History and Technology and the Museum of Natural History (see site map). It followed the same approach that had proven effective in 1967, but innovated by also including a program focused on a single State, Texas.

As in 1967, the Festival was organized by the Division of Performing Arts, James R. Morris, Director, and directed by Festival Director Ralph C. Rinzler.

Crafts

Performances

Texas

The 1968 Program Book included information to complement each of the programs, ranging from discussions of the definitions of folklore and folklife to the relations between folklife and cultural history. Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley, in his introduction to the booklet, noted that:

The Festival of American Folklife offers the Smithsonian Institution an opportunity to show through demonstration and performance some aspects of the cultural roots of the people of the United States. The Festival is a living exhibition of the creativity of the many ethnic groups that make up the culture of this country.
label: Festival speakers and consultants
content: Bruce Jackson, 1936-, New York

Guthrie (Gus) Meade, 1932-1991, Washington D.C.

Mack McCormick, Texas

Robert Messinger, New York

Sandy Paton, Connecticut

Caroline Paton, Connecticut

Jean Ritchie, New York

Mike Seeger, 1933-2009, Washington, D.C.

Dick Waterman, Massachusetts
label: Shared Stewardship of Collections
content: The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.
name: label: Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
label: Names
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival
topic: label: Topic
content: World music
label: Topic
content: Folklore
label: Topic
content: Food habits
label: Topic
content: Folk music
label: Topic
content: Folk festivals
label: Topic
content: arts and crafts
label: Topic
content: Folk art
creator: label: Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1968 Festival of American Folklife
abstract: label: Summary
content: The Smithsonian Institution Festival of American Folklife, held annually since 1967 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1998. The materials collected here document the planning, production, and execution of the annual Festival, produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (1999-present) and its predecessor offices (1967-1999). An overview of the entire Festival records group is available here: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records.
bioghist: label: Historical note
content: The Festival of American Folklife, held annually since 1967 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was renamed the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 1998. 

The 1968 Festival of American Folklife was produced by the Smithsonian Division of Performing Arts.

For more information, see Smithsonian Folklife Festival records.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Cubic foot (approximate)
phystech: label: Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements note
content: The Rinzler Archives is continually engaged in digitization of archival materials to facilitate preservation and ready access by users. However, given the diversity of legacy formats of the originals, some older materials may not be available. Notably, certain older audio recordings cannot be played because of deterioration of the tape stock, and the Archives has no playback equipment for EIAJ-1 videoreels (1/2 inch) or multi-track audio recordings. Where listening or viewing copies are available, this is generally indicated for each item. Users are encouraged to contact Archives staff to verify that the materials of interest to them are already accessible, or to determine if they can be digitized as needed.
unitdate: label: Date
content: July 3-7, 1968
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1968
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Video recordings
label: Type
content: Photographic prints
label: Type
content: Notes
label: Type
content: Audiocassettes
label: Type
content: Digital images
label: Type
content: Business records
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Negatives
label: Type
content: Videotapes
label: Type
content: Plans (drawings)
label: Type
content: Slides (photographs)
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Contracts
label: Type
content: Audiotapes
label: Type
content: Memorandums
arrangement: label: Arrangement note
content: Arranged in 4 series.

Series 1: Program Books, Festival Publications, and Ephemera

Series 2: Crafts

Series 3: Performances

Series 4: Texas
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Video recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographic prints
label: Genre/Form
content: Notes
label: Genre/Form
content: Audiocassettes
label: Genre/Form
content: Digital images
label: Genre/Form
content: Business records
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Negatives
label: Genre/Form
content: Videotapes
label: Genre/Form
content: Plans (drawings)
label: Genre/Form
content: Slides (photographs)
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence
label: Genre/Form
content: Contracts
label: Genre/Form
content: Audiotapes
label: Genre/Form
content: Memorandums
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: This collection documents the planning, production, and execution of the 1968 Festival of American Folklife. Materials may include photographs, audio recordings, motion picture film and video recordings, notes, production drawings, contracts, memoranda, correspondence, informational materials, publications, and ephemera. Such materials were created during the Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as well as in the featured communities, before or after the Festival itself.
relatedmaterial: label: Forms Part Of
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1968 Festival of American Folklife forms part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival records .

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: Papers

1967 Festival of American Folklife records - [Ongoing]
label: Related Archival Materials note
content: Within the Rinzler Archives, related materials may be found in various collections such as the Ralph Rinzler papers and recordings, the Lily Spandorf drawings, the Diana Davies photographs, the Robert Yellin photographs, and the Curatorial Research, Programs, and Projects collection. Additional relevant materials may also be found in the Smithsonian Institution Archives concerning the Division of Performing Arts (1966-1983), Folklife Program (1977-1980), Office of Folklife Programs (1980-1991), Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies (1991-1999), Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage (1999-present), and collaborating Smithsonian units, as well as in the administrative papers of key figures such as the Secretary and respective deputies. Users are encouraged to consult relevant finding aids and to contact Archives staff for further information.