Working Americans
odd: label: Introduction
content: The 1973 Festival saw the inauguration of a new theme presentation entitled "Working Americans". The presentation of working peoples' skills, crafts, and lore began in 1971 and continued in 1972 when the Union Workers programs featured ten member unions of the AFL-CIO. Working Americans differed from these earlier efforts in numerous ways, most substantially in the consideration of how working people serve human needs and how their skills and expressions have shaped a major national festival to celebrate the nation's 200th birthday.

Working Americans in 1973 featured "Workers Who Build Our Shelter", to be followed in future years by exploration of those workers who provide our food and other needs. Nine unions of the building and construction trades demonstrated their skills, complemented by a full musical program that presented various traditions enjoyed by urban and rural working people, from labor songs to urban blues and a Cajun band. On July 7 and 8, a gospel stage was dedicated to presentations of diverse traditions of African American sacred music. Narrative workshops on the Working Americans stage focused attention on the oral traditions of each of the building trades, as well as on the customs and practices that spanned several trades.

The Working Americans Program Coordinator was Shirley Askew, assisted by Denis Lachman. Major sponsors included the AFL-CIO, its Building and Construction Trades Department, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
label: Participants
content: Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers International Union

Thomas Murphy, President

Exhibit Chairman: Edward Royston

Ronald Bennett

James Chellemi

Michael Crowley

Ray Fischer

Thomas Fonte

Charles Poss

and other craftsmen

Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association of the U.S. and Canada

Joseph T. Power, President

Exhibit Chairman: Gilbert Wolfe

Charles Breen

Harry W. Furr

Rufus Jones

Benson Marble

Archie Neal

Carl O. Peterson

B. Lynn Romesberg

Joseph Vittone

Gilbert Wolfe

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America

William Sidell, President

Exhibit Chairmen: Charles L. Allen, James E. Tinkcom

Carpenters

Mill-cabinet makers

Millwrights

Apprentices

International Union of Operating Engineers

Hunter P. Wharton, President

Exhibit Chairmen: Delbert Allen, J. C. Turner

Charles Davidson

Charles Monroe

Ernest Motta

Donald Nolan

Charles Stover

and other craftsmen

International Union of Wood, Wire, and Metal Lathers

Kenneth M. Edwards, General President

Exhibit Chairman: G. C. Carter

J. V. Briguglio

Anthony Byrd

Robert Chatman

Frank Eastman

Tom Evans

Rick L. Talglador

Laborers' International Union of North America

Peter Fosco, President

Exhibit Chairmen:

Ben Bostic (Laborers' Joint Training Fund of Washington, D.C. and Vicinity)

Jack Wilkinson

Participants: Laborers District Council

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Charles H. Pillard, President

Exhibit Chairman: Thomas B. Noone

Clinton L. Bearor

Edmund Berry

Harry W. Creamer

William J. Creamer

Robert Crosby

Joseph Dollarton

Jack R. Donahue

Lawrence C. Hogan

Ralph H. Kemp

Richard L. Martin

Daniel J. McQuaid, Jr.

Frederick M. Noone

Thomas B. Noone

Francis J. O'Neill

Paul Parker

Wade H. Sheriff

Walter E. Shoemaker, Jr.

Paul J. Webb

Robert Wines

Sheet Metal Workers International Association

Edward J. Carlough, President

Exhibit Chairmen: James A. Bettis, Bernie McMonigle,

William I. Stewart

Raymond F. Cook

Thomas E. Fitzgerald

Herb Griffith

Francis Hines

Mark Rosenbaum

Frank Santora

William I. Stewart

United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the U.S. and Canada

Martin J. Ward, President

Exhibit Chairmen: Joseph Corcoran, George Bliss, Samuel Armstrong, Frank Blanch, Marion E. Moore, James Sullivan

Alexander B. Bell

Denvert Boney

Zigmund Charney

Timothy Christian

Mike Richards

Bernard Thornberg

Department of Labor

Peter J. Brennan, Secretary

Log Cabin Exhibit:

Claude and Billy Phillips, Berryville, Arkansas

Tipi painting:

Kevin Red Star, Crow Agency, Montana

Tipi maker:

Tom Heavy Runner, Browning, Montana

American Federation of Musicians

Hal C. Davis, President

in cooperation with

The Music Performance Trust Funds

Kenneth E. Raine, Trustee

and

Department of Labor

(Funding performances on the Working Americans, Gospel and Memorial stages)

Working Americans' Concerts and Workshops

Discussion leaders:

Jimmy Dawkins, 1936-2013

Archie Green

Walter E. Kennedy, III

John R. McKenzie

Ralph Metcalfe, Jr.

Performers:

Coates Singers, gospel group, Washington, D.C.

Cosmopolitan Singers, gospel group, Washington, D.C.

Jimmy Dawkins (1936-2013) Band with Carey Bell (1936-2007), Big Mojo Elem (1928-1997), Clifton James (1936-2006), Willie James Lyons (1938-1980), blues band, Chicago, Illinois

Lefty Dizz (1937-1993) Band with Bill Warren, Bob Simmons, blues band, Chicago, Illinois

Dr. Thomas A. Dorsey, 1899-1993, gospel songwriter, Chicago, Illinois

Eastern High School Gospel Choir, gospel choir, Washington, D.C.

John Edmonds Gospel Truth, gospel group, Bowling Green, Kentucky

John Estes, 1899-1977, with Hammie Nixon, 1908-1984, Memphis bluesman, Brownsville, Tennessee

Ed Gerald Sounds, gospel group, Washington, D.C.

Gospel Music Workshop of America, gospel group, Washington, D.C.

Institutional Church of God in Christ, gospel choir, New York, New York

Cousin Joe, 1907-1989, blues pianist New Orleans, Louisiana

National Gospel Symposium Ensemble, gospel choir, Washington, D.C.

New York Community Choir, gospel choir, New York, New York

Utah Phillips, 1935-2008, labor singer, Saratoga Springs, New York

Austin Pitre, 1918-1981, Cajun band, Eunice, Louisiana

Sara Jordan Powell, 1938-, gospel singer, Houston, Texas

Jim Ringer, 1936-1992, with Mary McCaslin, 1946-, & Jay Unger, 1946-, folk & country singer, Fresno, California

Houston Stackhouse, 1910-1980, Memphis bluesman, Memphis, Tennessee

Myrna Summers (1949-) & Singers, gospel group, Washington, D.C.

James Williams with Lefty Dizz Band, blues band, Chicago, Illinois
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1973 Festival of American Folklife
unitdate: label: Date
content: June 30-July 8, 1973
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1973, Series 5
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials