Collection Creator:

Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Introduction:

The Regional America program at the 1974 Festival continued the tradition of featuring the folklife of one State - in this case, Mississippi. In the six months leading up to the Festival, Smithsonian field researchers travelled 15,000 miles through 82 counties in the State. Their mission was to locate and identify traditional music, dance, craft skills, culinary arts and story-telling. They sought individuals whose skills were transmitted by families and friends in their home communities, people who were not formally trained, but who assimilated the culture of their families and neighbors since infancy. In addition to a Fiddlers' Convention and a diversity of musical performances from African American and white Mississippians, including a group of Lebanese descent, activities were organized around three themes: cotton, cattle and timber. Some 65 musicians and more than 50 craftspeople took part in the Mississippi program between July 3 and July 7, 1974. A quarter-acre of cotton, under cultivation since mid-April 1974 by the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, grew on the Festival grounds. Visitors were invited to the related exhibits of classing, grading, ginning, carding, and spinning from plant to finished product. Several breeds of cattle were stabled on the Mall, representing an industry of increasing cultural significance. A calf-cutting demonstration with quarter horses, cattle shows and related crafts was part of the presentation. The timber exhibit demonstrated precision felling of trees, team-work on a hand-powered cross-cut saw, and workshops on timberlore and tall tales. The Regional America program was coordinated by Peggy Martin. Mississippi's participation was coordinated by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History under the direction of Elbert R. Hilliard and Byrle A. Kynerd. The Mississippi Agriculture and Industrial Board, Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, the State Department of Agriculture and Commerce, and the Mississippi Arts Commission assisted in the presentation, which was endorsed by the Mississippi American Revolutionary Bicentennial Commission. Regional America continued to be a major program through the Bicentennial Festival in 1976.

Fieldworkers:

Richard Hulan, Worth Long, Tom Harvey, Howard Marshall, Charlotte Gutierrez, Annelen Archbold, Mack McCormick, and Andy Wallace; photographer Roland Freeman.

Participants:

Musicians John W. Arnold, singer, Grenada, Mississippi Brenda Ashker, dancer, Mississippi Joseph Ashker, 1914-1994, dancer, Clinton, Mississippi Josephine Ashker, 1921-1997, dancer, Mississippi Joseph Ashker, Jr., dancer, Mississippi Tommy Ashker, dancer, Mississippi Marion "Chunk" Bentley, 1910-, caller, Rose Hill, Mississippi Derrick Bunch, 1957-, cane flute player, Yazoo City, Mississippi Canton Spirituals -- Canton SpiritualsEddie Lee Jackson, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiRoscoe Lucious, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiTinsley Murphy, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiClaude C. Nichols, gospel singer, Canton, MississippiMorris Taylor, gospel singer, MississippiTheodore Thompson, gospel singer, Canton, MississippiHarvey Watkins, gospel singer, Canton, MississippiCharles Yarn, gospel singer, Jackson, Mississippi Sam Chatmon, 1899-1983, blues guitarist, Hollandale, Mississippi Joe Cooper, drummer, blues band, Leland, Mississippi Albert G. Dahduh, 1943-, musician, Jackson, Mississippi George Dahduh, 1905-1994, musician, Mississippi Dorris Dickerson, fiddler, Union, Mississippi Duck Hill Billies -- Duck Hill BilliesS.C. Herbert, string band, Grenada, MississippiBilly J. Marter, string band, Grenada, MississippiR.E. Rainey, string band, Duck Hill, MississippiGeorge Timbs, string band, Duck Hill, MississippiClayton Tyler, 1909-1986, string band, Winona, Mississippi Billy Hansford, fiddler, Union, Mississippi Donald M. Hickman, musician, Meridian, Mississippi Johnnie E. Hickman, musician, Toomsuba, Mississippi Verna Hollingsworth, fiddler, Union, Mississippi Hubert Hunkapiller, 1919-1987, fiddler, Booneville, Mississippi Claude Kennedy, Sixtown band, Mendenhall, Mississippi Eddie Knight, 1909-1992, flute player, Yazoo City, Mississippi Leake County String Band -- Leake County String BandRoy C. Alford, 1919-2006, string band, Jackson, MississippiSam Alford, 1914-, string band, Carthage, MississippiBarney Ellis, 1905-1997, string band, Carthage, MississippiMorgan Gilmer, 1908-1978, string band, Walnut Grove, MississippiHoward B. Smith, string band, Mississippi George McLeod, M. C., Fiddlers' Convention, Leakesville, Mississippi Alvis Massengale, 1897-1993, fiddler, Mississippi Jesse Mays, spiritual singer, Independence, Mississippi Bill Mitchell, fiddler, Tupelo, Mississippi Sylvester Moran, 1893-1987, fiddler, Lyman, Mississippi Old Time Pickin' Partners -- Old Time Pickin' PartnersGene Bush, bluegrass musician, Goodlettsville, TennesseeRufus Comans, bluegrass musician, Hickory, MississippiRaymond Huffmaster, bluegrass musician, Lauderdale, MississippiAndy Jones, bluegrass musician, Meridian, MississippiAlvin Linton, bluegrass musician, Meridian, MississippiBernie Linton, bluegrass musician, Meridian, Mississippi Pep Steppers -- Pep SteppersJames Alford, 1893-1971, string band musician, MississippiHoyt Ming, 1902-1985, string band musician, Ackerman, MississippiMrs. Hoyt Ming, string band musician, MississippiHoyt Ming, Jr., string band musician, Fayette, Alabama Lonnie Lee Pitchford, 1955-1998, guitarist, Lexington, Mississippi Mike Ross, fiddler, Union, Mississippi Spiritual Ensemble -- Spiritual EnsembleDaniel Littleton, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiMyrtle Middleton, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiAndrew Oliver, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiBonita Rainey, gospel singer, MississippiChristine Rainey, gospel singer, Jackson, MississippiLeonard Rainey, gospel singer, Mississippi Houston Stackhouse, 1910-1980, guitarist, Crystal Springs, Mississippi Everett Joe Townsend, 1920-1975, spiritual singer, Independence, Mississippi Robert Wall, fiddler, Sebastopol, Mississippi Crafts Willie L. Barton, 1905-, wood carver, Union, Mississippi Robert Wayne Billie, 1950-, beader, Philadelphia, Mississippi Michael Black, cattle spokesman, Greenwood, Mississippi Thomas L. Burchfield, 1892-, blacksmith, Ethel, Mississippi Wendell Callaway, sawyer, Union, Mississippi Alena Cerinich, cook, Biloxi, Mississippi Howard Connor, potter, Grand Junction, Tennessee Bura Conway, 1904-1999, ox-team logger, Richton, Mississippi James B. Cook, timber spokesman, Philadelphia, Mississippi Cool Breeze, 1929-, wood carver, Cleveland, Mississippi Susan Denson, basket maker, Mississippi John Matting Ellis, broom maker, Durant, Mississippi A. B. Eubanks, 1908-1989, ox driver, whip maker, Lucedale, Mississippi Mark Freeman, cattleman, Mississippi Esbie Gibson, 1910-2007, basket maker, Mississippi Jacobina Sekul Gilich, 1913-2003, cook, Biloxi, Mississippi James Glover, knife maker, Baldwyn, Mississippi Gotford Hennig, 1915-, maritime blacksmith, Biloxi, Mississippi John Hewes, cattle spokesman, Woodville, Mississippi Eddie Hill, sawyer, Mississippi Edwina Hobson, cotton spinner, Guntown, Mississippi William Knight, assistant auctioneer, Collins, Mississippi V. Joseph Langlinais, 1917-1983, net maker, Biloxi, Mississippi Joseph Langlinais, Jr., 1937-, net maker, Biloxi, Mississippi W. G. Lovern, chair maker, Thomastown, Mississippi James Lucas, whittler, Weir, Mississippi Duly Martin, 1898-1975, ox driver, Prentiss, Mississippi Willie H. "Hamp" Martin, 1895-1976, chair maker, Lexington, Mississippi Herman R. Massey, cattle spokesman, Jackson, Mississippi Ethel Mohamed, 1907-1992, needle worker, Belzoni, Mississippi Eugena Mohlhenrich, cotton spinner, Tupelo, Mississippi Fred Moore, cattle spokesman, Morton, Mississippi L. Willie Nabors, 1916-1997, basket maker, Oklona, Mississippi Bert Parnell, 1910-1996, ox yoke maker, Brookhaven, Mississippi Lollis Pierce, 1908-1990, chair maker, Leakesville, Mississippi J. D. Rankin, cattle spokesman, Canton, Mississippi Andrew Robertson, cotton grader, Mississippi Liston Shows, auctioneer, Soso, Mississippi Laymon Shumake, 1923-1989, blowgun maker, Conehatta, Mississippi Mrs. Alan Skelton, quilter, Vicksburg, Mississippi B. F. Smith, gin operator, Stoneville, Mississippi Jack Smith, cattle spokesman, Mississippi George Spears, cotton farmer, Mound Bayou, Mississippi James Therrell, timber spokesman, Mississippi State, Mississippi James Thomas, clay sculptor, Mississippi T. H. Thomas, timber spokesman, Noxapater, Mississippi Bowmar Virden, 1923-1992, cattle spokesman, Jackson, Mississippi Richard Wesley, gin operator, Stoneville, Mississippi Dezzie White, 1924-, corn shuck weaver, Pott's Camp, Mississippi John White, 1910-, oak basket maker, Camden, Mississippi Joe H. Wilson, leather worker, Bellefontaine, Mississippi Mrs. Joe H. Wilson, leather worker, Bellefontaine, Mississippi Frankie Lee Wright, 1948-2005, oak basket maker, Philadelphia, Mississippi

Collection Restrictions:

Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.

Collection Rights:

Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1974 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.SFF.1974, Series 8

See more items in:

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1974 Festival of American Folklife

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk5b0090999-a80a-4e37-ad96-7c18aa1734c2

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-cfch-sff-1974-ref1058