Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1967 Festival of American Folklife
odd: label: Introduction
content: In 1966, Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley engaged James R. Morris to serve as Director of Museum Services, soon to become a new Division of Performing Arts. Ripley charged Morris to develop a full program of performances on the National Mall - sound and light show, readings and concerts, films, live demonstrations, and special exhibitions. Morris, who had previously organized the American Folk Festival in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1963, proposed that the Smithsonian host a folk festival as the centerpiece of the outdoors activities. Through the Asheville festival, Morris had come into contact with key people involved in the Newport Folk Festival, among them Alan Lomax. It was Lomax who suggested that the Smithsonian hire Newport's then-director of field programs, Ralph C. Rinzler, to help plan a Smithsonian festival. The term "folklife", drawn from Scandinavian usage, was chosen over "folk" as the name of the new Festival.

The first Festival of American Folklife was held July 1-4, 1967 in two tents - one for crafts and one for sales - a music stage, and a performance area on the terrace of the Museum of History and Technology (later, the National Museum of American History). Fifty-eight traditional craftspeople and thirty-two musical and dance groups from throughout the United States demonstrated and performed at the first open-air event. Mountain banjo-pickers and ballad singers, Chinese lion dancers, Indian sand painters, basket and rug weavers, New Orleans jazz bands and a Bohemian hammer dulcimer band from east Texas combined with the host of participants from many rural and urban areas of the U.S. The entire event was free to the public, the expense of the production having been borne by the Smithsonian aided by numerous civic and cultural organizations, business enterprises and State Arts Councils.

The 1967 Festival drew a huge crowd - estimated at more than 400,000 - and strong interest from the press, Members of Congress, and Smithsonian leadership. In the Smithsonian's annual report for 1967, Ripley reflected on the success of the Festival:

Within - in the Museum - the tools, the products of craft work, the musical instruments hang suspended in cases, caught in beautifully petrified isolation. Without, for the space of a few hours they came alive in the hands of specialists from all over America.... It was a moving spectacle and one that underscored the principle that a museum, to be a museum in the best sense of the word, must live and breathe both within and without.

The 1967 Festival marked the inception of a fresh attempt at the evaluation, documentation and celebration of a hitherto unrecognized area of vigorous American expression. Concurrent with the first Festival, an American Folklife Conference was organized (with assistance from Henry Glassie) to address topics of American and international folklife studies, the relationship between folklife and history, applied folklife, and folklife in schools, museums, communities, and government agencies.

The Festival was organized by the Division of Performing Arts, under the direction of James R. Morris. Ralph Rinzler was the Applied Folklore Consultant and Festival Artistic Director, and Marian A. Hope was Project Assistant. No program book or schedule was published, but news articles, congressional remarks, letters from the public, and a list of participants were later compiled in lieu of a program book. That document can be viewed in Series 1.
label: Participants
content: Crafts

Harry Belone, 1912-1986, Navajo sand painter, Arizona

Herman Benton, 1914-1994, scoop maker, New York

Mary Bowers, 1922-2002, Seminole patchwork, needlework, Florida

Marie Z. Chino, 1907-1982, Acoma pottery, New Mexico

Mildred Cleghorn, 1910-1997, Indian cloth dolls, Oklahoma

Maisy Coburn, apple face and corncob dolls, Arkansas

Margaret Coochwytewa, 1923-1995, Hopi, coil and yucca leaves basket maker, Arizona

Victor Coochwytewa, 1922-2011, Hopi silversmith, Arizona

Freedom Quilting Bee, Alabama

Taft Greer, 1908-1986, weaver, Tennessee

Joseph Grismayer, 1888-1970, willow basket maker, Pennsylvania

Dewey Harmon, 1900-1972, whittler, North Carolina

Bea Hensley, 1919-2013, blacksmith, North Carolina

Louise Jones, 1910-1973, coil basket making, South Carolina

Robert Keith, chair maker, North Carolina

Mrs. Robert Keith, chair maker, North Carolina

Norman Kennedy, 1934-, carder, spinner, weaver, Massachusetts

Clifford Lucas, Indian dolls, New Mexico

Lila Suzanne Marshall, 1908-1994, corn shuck dolls, North Carolina

Charles Mayac, 1906-1971, ivory carver, Alaska

Leo J. Meyer, scrimshaw carver, Maryland

Alice Merryman, 1906-2007, corn shuck dolls, Arkansas

Norman Miller, 1905-1972, southern pottery, Alabama

Mrs. Norman Miller, southern pottery, Alabama

Hazel Miracle, 1915-2001, apple face, corn shuck dolls, Kentucky

Homer Miracle, 1910-1980, hand-hewn bowls, carver, Kentucky

Ann Mitchell, corn shuck dolls, Maryland

Golda Porter, spinner, North Carolina

Edd Presnell, 1916-1994, dulcimer maker, North Carolina

Ambrose Roanhorse, 1904-1982, Navajo silversmith, Arizona

Garnet Claw Roanhorse, 1911-1999, Navajo rug weaver, Arizona

Georgianne Robinson, 1917-1985, Osage ribbon work, needlework, Oklahoma

Lou Sesher, 1915-1989, model boat builder, Pennsylvania

Genevieve Tomey, Osage ribbon work, needlework, Oklahoma

Elisia Trivett, rug hooker, North Carolina

Ora Watson, 1909-2004, quilting, North Carolina

Willard Watson, 1905-1994, toy maker, North Carolina

Music

The Baca Family Band, Czech-American polka music, Texas

Libba Cotten, Country guitarist, North Carolina, Washington, D.C.

Dejan's Olympia Brass Brand, New Orleans marching band, Louisiana

Jimmie Driftwood, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas

First Maryland Regiment Fife and Drum Corps, martial music, Maryland

John Jackson, Songster and blues singer, Virginia

Bessie Jones (1902-1984) and the Georgia Sea Island Singers, shouts, jubilees, spirituals, and ring games, Georgia

Norman Kennedy, Scots ballad singer, Massachusetts

Clark Kessinger, 1896-1975, mountain fiddler, West Virginia

Vinice Lejeune (1919-1993) Group, Cajun band, Louisiana

The McGee Brothers with Sid Harkreader, String band, Tennessee

Sam McGee, 1894-1975

Kirk McGee, 1899-1983

Gene Meade, West Virginia

The Moving Star Hall Singers, shouts, jubilees, spirituals, and ring games, South Carolina

Glenn Ohrlin, cowboy singer, Arkansas

Grace Papakee, 1907-1982, Mesquakie Indian music, Iowa

John Papakee, 1895-1981, Mesquakie Indian music, Iowa

Billie Pierce (1907-1974) and De De Pierce (1904-1973) and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, New Orleans jazz, Louisiana

Almeda Riddle, Ozark ballad singer, Arkansas

Scottish Pipe Band, highland marching music, Washington, D.C.

Wade Ward (1892-1971) and the Buck Mountain Band, mountain string band, Virginia

Yomo Toro Band, Puerto Rican music, New York

Ed Young (1910-1972), G.D. Young and Lonnie Young (1903-1976), African American fife and drum group, Mississippi

Young People's Chorus from the Scripture of Church of Christ, gospel, Virginia

Dance

Blue Ridge Mountain Dancers, cloggers, North Carolina

Chinese Lion Group, Washington, D.C.

Maurice Flowers, square dance caller, Maryland

Los Gallegos d'Espana, Galician dance, New York

Glinka Dancers, Russian dance group, New Jersey

Jochim Koyuk, King Island Eskimo dancer, Alaska

Mrs. Jochim Koyuk, King Island Eskimo dancer, Alaska

McNeff Dancers, Irish dancing with Ceilidh band, New York

Henry Paterick, square dance caller, Virginia

St. Andrews Society Group, Scottish dancing, Washington, D.C.
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: Folklore
label: Topic
content: Folk art
label: Topic
content: Folk festivals
label: Topic
content: Food habits
label: Topic
content: arts and crafts
label: Topic
content: Folk music
creator: label: Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
culture: label: Culture
content: Diné (Navajo)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1967 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 1967 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 1-4, 1967
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1967
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Audiotapes
label: Type
content: Photographic prints
label: Type
content: Negatives
label: Type
content: Video recordings
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Plans (drawings)
label: Type
content: Slides (photographs)
arrangement: label: Arrangement note
content: Arranged in 5 series.

Series 1: Program Books, Festival Publications, and Ephemera

Series 2: Fieldwork

Series 3: Photographs

Series 4: Audio

Series 5: Video
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Audiotapes
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographic prints
label: Genre/Form
content: Negatives
label: Genre/Form
content: Video recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Plans (drawings)
label: Genre/Form
content: Slides (photographs)
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: This collection documents the planning, production, and execution of the 1967 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: 1967 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.