Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

We may not be a museum, but over nearly six decades of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, we have assembled an unmatched collection of art and craft created on the National Mall. Today, we are excited to share our collection with you! “Storied Objects” is a new, ever-growing online exhibition highlighting 80+ pieces that occupy the shelves and walls of our office. The stories tied to these objects are often personal—about how and why a cultural practice remains important to its maker. The objects often bear imprints of the Festival—experiences in D.C., views of the monuments, and interactions with visitors. Start exploring: s.si.edu/StoriedObjects

“Solidarity forever, for the union makes us strong” ?? Written in 1915 by organizer, poet, artist, and writer Ralph Chaplin, “Solidarity Forever” is one of the most popular union songs of the American labor movement. Chaplin was inspired by the West Virginian coal miners during the Paint Creek–Cabin Creek Strike of 1912. As a member of the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.), Chaplin was the editor of their publications “Solidarity” and “Industrial Worker.” This version of the song was recorded by folk musician Joe Glazer and appears on several albums, including his 1977 release “Songs of the Wobblies” and “Classic Labor Songs from Smithsonian Folkways,” which he helped to compile. Glazer, nicknamed “Labor’s Troubadour,” founded Collector Records in 1970 to distribute music of the labor movement. The label is now in the collection of our Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. ??: Joe Glazer, Courtesy of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. [1] From the Collector Records Business Records Collection [2] Photo by Michael Monseur. Video Description: Photo montage to the tune of "Solidarity Forever." The first of three images is a black and white photograph of a man wearing glasses and holding a guitar. The photograph pans up to an album cover that transforms into the colorful version of that album. The album is red and features an illustration of a man with his arms crossed. The final image is a full color image of the same man playing the guitar.

dan zanes is by far my #1 most-listened-to musician of all time (thanks to ava), so it was great to work with him and his wife claudia on their latest album--now available on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

We remember activist, singer, songwriter, and scholar Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who spent her lifetime using the power of music to fight for freedom and justice. As a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s (SNCC) Freedom Singers in 1962, Reagon performed across the country, raising funds for the Civil Rights Movement. In addition to recording several solo albums (some with our Smithsonian Folkways Recordings), she founded the Grammy-nominated all-Black women’s a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1973. As a curator and historian at the Smithsonian, Reagon explored how Black music fueled movements for change. In 1974, she joined the Smithsonian’s Division of Performing Arts, where she was instrumental in establishing the African Diaspora program and recruiting Black artists to participate in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage). Two years later, she founded the Program in Black American Culture at our Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Reagon continued her work as curator emeritus and helped shape our Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture as a member of the museum’s Scholarly Advisory Committee. “Bernice’s fierce intellect was only matched by her fierce sense of justice she applied to the struggle for civil rights,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. “As a member of the NMAAHC Scholarly Advisory Council, her wisdom was invaluable in creating the intellectual framework of the museum. Her lyrics and music lift my spirits and embody her lifelong work to challenge America to live up to its ideals: ‘We who believe in freedom will not rest until it comes.’” We will miss Dr. Reagon and send our heartfelt condolences to her family and community. ?? : Photograph by Dane A. Penland, 1981, from our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (SLA).

Reflecting on the impact of Ella Jenkins with our Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and fellow children's musicians. https://lnkd.in/dHiwCW7c

Reflecting on the impact of Ella Jenkins with our Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and fellow children's musicians. https://lnkd.in/dHiwCW7c

We remember activist, singer, songwriter, and scholar Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who spent her lifetime using the power of music to fight for freedom and justice. As a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s (SNCC) Freedom Singers in 1962, Reagon performed across the country, raising funds for the Civil Rights Movement. In addition to recording several solo albums (some with our Smithsonian Folkways Recordings), she founded the Grammy-nominated all-Black women’s a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1973. As a curator and historian at the Smithsonian, Reagon explored how Black music fueled movements for change. In 1974, she joined the Smithsonian’s Division of Performing Arts, where she was instrumental in establishing the African Diaspora program and recruiting Black artists to participate in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage). Two years later, she founded the Program in Black American Culture at our Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Reagon continued her work as curator emeritus and helped shape our Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture as a member of the museum’s Scholarly Advisory Committee. “Bernice’s fierce intellect was only matched by her fierce sense of justice she applied to the struggle for civil rights,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III. “As a member of the NMAAHC Scholarly Advisory Council, her wisdom was invaluable in creating the intellectual framework of the museum. Her lyrics and music lift my spirits and embody her lifelong work to challenge America to live up to its ideals: ‘We who believe in freedom will not rest until it comes.’” We will miss Dr. Reagon and send our heartfelt condolences to her family and community. ?? : Photograph by Dane A. Penland, 1981, from our Smithsonian Libraries and Archives (SLA).

Join us for the education event of the summer! ?? The 2024 Smithsonian National Education Summit is a free three day conference unlike any other, featuring Smithsonian educators from over 22 museums, research centers, and the National Zoo, in an exciting session line-up. With a blend of both virtual livestreamed and prerecorded sessions, as well as in-person programming in the heart of Washington, D.C. on July 16-18, there is something for everyone across the education ecosystem. Registration is free, with some sessions at limited capacity. For more information and to register today, visit https://lnkd.in/guYWJppM #SmithsonianEdu

“The music of ‘Songs of Our Native Daughters’ reminds us that we can’t understand the past through archives and texts alone. We need music to help us tap into the imaginations of those lost to us. The Black banjo can provide both a lens and a balm. We can call the ones who came before us with music and joy.” -Francesca T. Royster, from “Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions” In 2019, four banjo-playing Black women collaborated on a groundbreaking album called “Songs of Our Native Daughters,” sparking cultural conversations about American history and the Black origins of folk and country music that continue today. Formed by GRAMMY and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens, who is featured on banjo and viola on Beyoncé’s chart-topping country single “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Our Native Daughters brings together kindred roots musicians Giddens, Allison Russell, Leyla McCalla, and Amythyst Kiah. Drawing on historical notions and observations about slavery, the four members reinterpret and create new works that look honestly at Black women’s stories of struggle, hope, and resistance. The album also centers the banjo, an instrument developed by enslaved people of the African diaspora. Giddens first conceived of the project while visiting our museum where she encountered an anti-slavery poem by William Cowper. Writing in the album’s liner notes, Giddens explains, “There is surely racism in this country—it’s baked into our oldest institutions—just as there is sexism, millennia old. At the intersection of the two stands the African American woman. Used, abused, ignored, and scorned, she has in the face of these things been unbelievably brave, groundbreaking, and insistent.” “Songs of Our Native Daughters” was released on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings as part of the multi-year African American Legacy Series in collaboration with our museum. For more information, watch a behind-the-scenes video on the making of the album: s.si.edu/4aCHEgl #OurNativeDaughters #CountryMusic ?? Our Native Daughters, “Black Myself.” Photos by Terri Fensel. Courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways. Alt-text: While folk music with vocals play, the video zooms in on four members of the group Our Native Daughters.?