Finding Aids to Collections in the Archive of Folk Culture

OKLAHOMA COLLECTIONS
IN THE ARCHIVE OF FOLK CULTURE

Compiled by: Kirsi Haenninen
Series editor: Ann Hoog
Revised: December 2010

AFC 1940/007: Alan Lomax Collection of Woody Guthrie Recordings
Seventeen 12-inch discs of songs and stories played and spoken by Woody Guthrie (originally of Okemah, Oklahoma). Recorded in the Radio Studio of Department of Interior, Washington, D.C., by Nev. Rumble, March 1940. Alan Lomax, interlocutor. (includes AFS 3407-3423) (tape copy on LWO 4872 reels 225-227A) [catalog record]

AFC 1940/017: John A. Lomax Oklahoma and Texas Cylinder Recordings
Two 10-inch tapes (copied from 13 cylinders) of songs recorded in Oklahoma and Texas, 1908-1910. These were copied onto tape as part of the Federal Cylinder Project. The collection includes a song list. (includes AFS 20,257-20,258) (RWA 3318-3319) [catalog record]

AFC 1941/039: Willard Rhodes 1941 Field Recordings Collection
Forty-four 16-inch discs of American Indian songs recorded by Willard Rhodes of Columbia University for the Government, 1941. Performers include Henry Butterfly, Joseph Old Chief, William Buffalo Hide, Mr. And Mrs. Joe Morning Gun, Henry Morning Gune, Alvin Warrior, Mathew Eagle Bay, and others. [Note: There may be additional Oklahoma recordings not provided in the logs.]

AFS 9522A11, 9535A2-3, 9541B5: Three discs containing "Story of the Flute," "Peyote Song," and "Love song" played on flute by Belo Cozad (Kiowa-Apache). Recorded in Stecker, Oklahoma, by Willard Rhodes, July-August 1941.

AFS: 9522B6: One disc containing "Christian Hymn: no. 35" sung by a girls glee club, Wheelock Academy (Choctaw Nation), McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Recorded in Idabel, Oklahoma, by Willard Rhodes, July-August, 1941.

AFS: 9540A1-2, 9540A5: Two discs containing "Hand Game Songs" sung by Albert Attocknie (Comanche-Apache), Joe Attocknie (Comanche-Apache), and George Smith; and "Riding Dances" by Albert Attocknie. Recorded in Oklahoma by Willard Rhodes, July-August, 1941.

AFS: 9541A8, 9541B1-4, 9542A1-4, 9542A5-6, 9542A7, 9542A8: Six discs containing "Fire Dance," "Mocassin Game," and "Medicine Song" performed by Sam Haozous; and "Love Song," and "Round Dance" performed by Mr. and Mrs. Haozous (Apache). Recorded in Oklahoma by Willard Rhodes, July-August, 1941.

AFC 1943/011: John A. Lomax Southwest Recordings
Thirty-three 12-inch discs recorded in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, by John A. Lomax, August-September, 1942. The collection includes a song list. Includes recordings of Jeff Guthrie and Allene Guthrie [Woody Guthrie's brother and sister-in-law].

AFS 6969: One disc containing 5 children's songs sung by the students of Sand Creek School, Boley, Oklahoma. Recorded Sept. 7, 1942 by John A. and Ruby T. Lomax. (tape copy on LWO 3493)

AFS 6970-6974: Five discs containing cowboy songs and songs and stories of the northwest ranchers sung and spoken by Bruce Siberts. Recorded in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, by John A. Lomax, Sept. 8, 1942. (tape copy on LWO 3493)

AFS 9401-9421: Martha Lincoln / Pawnee and Tonkawa Recordings
Twenty-one 12-inch discs of Pawnee, Otoe, and Tonkawa music recorded by Martha Lincoln of Phillips University, Enid, Oklahoma, 1947-1948. (tape copy on LWO 5111)

AFC 1943/020: Willard Rhodes 1943 Field Recordings Collection
Seven 12-inch discs of Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, Navajo, and Tewa songs recorded in Lawrence, Kansas; and Eufaula, Broken Bow, and Idabel,Oklahoma, by Willard Rhodes during the summer of 1943 for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Education Division. (includes AFS 12,197-12,203) (tape copy on LWO 5111 reel 396)

AFC 1944/008: Indians for Indians Hour Collection
Two 16-inch discs of two radio broadcasts for the "Indians for Indians Hour" conducted by Chief Kesh-Ke-Kosh (Don Whistler) on Station WNAD, Norman, Oklahoma, August 10 and December 14, 1943. Recorded by Virginia Hawk, director of WNAD. Songs are sung by 9 tribes from Anadarko Fair led by Robert Goombi, 111th program, August 10, 1943; and songs and dances sung by Pawnee Indian School (Otoe and Choctaw), 129th program, December 14, 1943. (includes AFS 7062-7063) (tape copy on LWO 5111) [catalog record]

AFC 1944/014: Martha L. Smith Autobiography Recordings
Four 16-inch discs of an interview with Martha L. Smith, author of Going to God's Country. Recorded at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., March 17, 1944. Recorded by B.A. Botkin and Arthur Semmig. Smith is from Oklahoma, born 1852 in Missouri. Among the topics she discusses are folk medicine, superstitions, and history of the area. The collection includes a log, a newspaper article, and notes about the interview. (includes AFS 7093-7096) (2 hours; tape copy on LWO 5111 reels 8-9A) [catalog record]

AFC 1948/062: Truman Michelson Collection of Sauk Cylinder Recordings
One 10-inch tape (copied from 2 six-inch dictaphone cylinders) recorded by Truman Michelson on one of his trips in the early 1910s to the area around Shawnee and McLoud, Oklahoma, where he gathered information on the local Algonquian peoples. The cylinders were transferred from the National Archives in 1948. (includes AFS 20,513) (RWA 3374)

AFC 1948/063: Truman Michelson Collection of Mexican Kickapoo Cylinder Recordings
One tape of (copied from 2 six-inch dictaphone cylinders) of singing by Joe Murdock. Recorded by Truman Michelson on one of his trips to the area around Shawnee and McLoud, Oklahoma, probably in the early 1910s. The cylinders were transferred from the National Archives in 1948. (includes AFS 20,513) (RWA 3374)

AFC 1948/064: Truman Michelson Collection of Absentee Shawnee Cylinder Recordings
Seven 10-inch tapes (copied from 46 6-inch dictaphone cylinders) recorded in Oklahoma by Truman Michelson, Fall 1911. The cylinders, all of which contain Absentee Shawnee narratives spoken by Joe Billy, were transferred from the National Archives in 1948. (includes AFS 20,513-20,519) (RWA 3374-3380)

AFC 1950/006: Russell C. Mosby Collection of Kiowa, Apache, Sioux, Taos, Tonkawa, and Kiowa-Apache songs
Twenty 10-inch discs of Kiowa, Apache, Sioux, Taos, Tonkawa, and Kiowa-Apache songs. Obtained from Russell C. Mosby, 1949. Singers are Charles Anquoe (Kiowa), M. Kwakaykla (Apache), Lone Eagle (Sioux), and Ralph Swazo (Taos), Helen Sunrise (Tonkawa), and Joe Black Bear (Kiowa-Apache). Genres include Kiowa '49 songs, War Dance songs, Two-step Dance songs, peyote songs, Sun Dance songs, Gourd Dance, War Mothers' Victory song, Snake Dance song, Shield Dance song, Eagle Dance song, Buffalo Dance song, children's Rabbit Dance songs; Apache Fire Dance songs, Back-and-forth song; Sioux War Dance songs; Round Dance songs, Taos '49 songs, peyote songs; Tonkawa war songs; and Kiowa-Apache war songs. (includes AFS 13,554-13,573) (tape copy on LWO 5111 reel 431B-432)

AFS 13,735: Vincent McMullen Duplication Project
One 12-inch disc of Pawnee, Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Comanche songs recorded in Oklahoma, 1940. (LWO 5111 reel 430B)

AFC 1951/001: Willard Rhodes 1951 Field Recordings Collection
Six 10-inch tapes of Apache, Cherokee, Comanche, Creek, Hopi, Kiowa, Navajo, Pawnee, Shoshone, Tlingit, Ecuadorian Indian, and Eskimo music. Recorded in Arizona, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming by Willard Rhodes, June 1951-July 1952; and in Oregon by Louise B. Johannaber, 1952, for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (includes AFS 14,618-14,623) (tape copy on LWO 6692 reels 1-6)

AFC 1952/005: Willard Rhodes and Louise B. Johannaber 1952 Field Recordings Collection
Two 10-inch tapes of primarily American Indian music recorded in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Utah by Louis B. Johannaber and Willard Rhodes, summer 1952, for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. (includes AFS 14,624-14,625) (tape copy on LWO 6692 reels 7-8)

AFC 1957/011: A.S. Hayes Telling of Freeman Crowell's Trial in Oklahoma
Three 5-inch tapes of A.S. Hayes' telling of Freeman Crowell's trial in Oklahoma. (includes AFS 11,313-11,315) (LWO 3526)

AFC 1970/008: Kenneth Croft Cheyenne wire recordings
Ten wires of Northern and Southern Cheyenne conversations, instructions to children, songs, and stories performed by Blue Elk, Run Away, Charles Redbird, William Guerrier, John Standing (or Stands-in) Timber, Turkey Legs, Mortimer Dreamer, and unidentified others. Recorded in Montana and Oklahoma by Kenneth Croft, 1948-49. Acquired from the American Philosophical Society. The collection includes three pages of lists and notes. (includes AFS 14,358-14,367) (tape copy on LWO 6256 reels 16B-20)

AFC 1970/040: Folk Legacy Records Duplication Project
Thirteen 10-inch tapes of folksongs performed by various singers. Recorded in Arkansas, Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri, New Brunswick, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Vermont by Lee B. Haggerty, Charles "Sandy" Paton, and others for Folk-Legacy Records, Inc., 1958-69. [catalog record]

AFS 14,207B, 14,208A: Two discs containing 14 songs sung by Pat (Lena) Armstrong and Etta Magnolia Jones. Recorded in Potea, Oklahoma, November 1962.

AFS 14,315: Southwest Museum Duplication Project
One 10-inch tape (copied from wax cylinders) of Cheyenne, Arapaho, Santo Domingo Pueblo, and Maidu music. Recorded by Frances Densmore for the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, California. (LWO 6179 reel 1)

AFC 1971/009: Dave Ricker Recordings of Earl Collins
One 7-inch tape of fiddle tunes played by Earl Collins (originally of Oklahoma) and occasionally accompanied by Dave Ricker and Bess Lomax Hawes. Recorded in Downey, California, by Dave Ricker, October-November 1970. The collection includes two pages of logs and notes. (includes AFS 14,458) (LWO 6398) [catalog record]

AFS 15,090-15,097: Omer C. Stewart Collection of American Indian Recordings
Seven 12-inch discs and one 10-inch disc of American Indian Peyote and other songs recorded by Omer C. Stewart among the Northern Paiute, Washo, Ute (including Comanche, Kickapoo, Kiowa, Miwok, Navajo and Shoshone songs) in Colorado, Nevada and California, 1938 etc.; also includes recordings made for Ruth M. Underhill by Frank S. Speck among the Arapaho in Oklahoma, 1950. (tape copy on LWO 7040)

AFS 15,097A1-3, B103: Two discs containing Peyote songs sung by Henry Sweezy (Arapaho) for Ruth Underhill. Recorded in Greenfield, Oklahoma, November 1950.

AFC 1973/026: Chris Delaney / Fiddle Music
Eleven 10-inch tapes of tunes played primarily on fiddle. Recorded in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and West Virginia by Chris Delaney, 1973. (AFS 16984-16994) (tape copy on LWO 7632)

AFS 16,991: One tape containing 67 stories and fiddle tunes performed by Burrell Reed (originally of southwest Oklahoma). Recorded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, by Chris Delaney, October 1973.

AFS 16,992: One tape containing 58 fiddle tunes played by Uncle Dick Hutchison. Recorded in Disney, Oklahoma, by Chris Delaney, October 1973.

AFC 1978/022: Steve Rathe / Western Swing Festival Project
Eleven 10-inch tapes of Speedy West and his Swing Band with Jimmy Bryant, Sons of the Pioneers, Leon McAuliffe and his Cimarron Boys. Guy Logsdon is the emcee. Includes steel guitar, fiddle, guitar and songwriting workshops. Recorded by National Public Radio at the Tulsa Western Swing Festival, State Fair Grounds, Tulsa, Oklahoma, November 16, 1974. (includes AFS 19,238-19,248) (LWO 12,002)

AFC 1984/003: Frank Crampton Reminiscence Collection
Seventy-three dictabelts recorded in 1953 by Frank Crampton in connection with authorship of his published reminiscences, Deep Enough (Denver, Colorado: Sage Press, 1966, and Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1982). Also a log of dictabelts and several pieces of related correspondence. (RVA 1118-1138)

AFC 1984/004: William Van Riper Recordings for the Linguistic Atlas of Oklahoma
One hundred twenty-eight 7-inch tapes of interviews recorded in preparation for the Linguistic Atlas of Oklahoma. The material results from field interviews of 50 persons, carried out between 1959 and 1963. Part of the Linguistic Atlas of the United States and Canada. (tape copy on RXA 5474-5602; RXA 5569-5575; RXA 5599-5602)

AFC 1986/037: 1986 Neptune Plaza Concert Series Collection
Manuscript materials, sound recordings, photographs, and slides documenting performances from the 1986 Neptune Plaza Concert Series. Presented by the American Folklife Center in cooperation with the National Council for the Traditional Arts to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the American Folklife Center. [catalog record] [finding aid]

The following includes documentation from the April 24, 1986, bluegrass concert by Byron Berline (fiddle), Dan Crary (guitar), and John Hickman (banjo).

AFC 1986/037: Folder 2: One folder containing press releases, fliers, news clippings, administrative correspondence, and identification of people in photographs.

AFS 24,234-24,236: Three tapes containing the concert. (1 hour) (RWB 2960-62)

AFC 1986/037: Envelope 1: One envelope containing one sheet of black-and-white negatives (36 images) photographed by John T. Gibbs at the concert.

AFC 1986/037: Folder 3: One folder containing 3 black-and-white contact sheets (73 images) photographed by John T. Gibbs and Reid Baker at the concert; and 2 black-and-white 8x10 photoprints taken by an unknown photographer.

AFC 1986/037: Envelopes 2-4: Three envelopes containing 3 holders of color slides (43 images) photographed by John T. Gibbs and Reid Baker at the concert.

AFS 19,341: Howard W. Marshall / Old-Time Fiddle Recordings
One 10-inch tape of 14 old-time fiddlers recorded in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, by Jake Hughes, prior to 1965. Includes Cleo Persinger (Columbia, Missouri), Uncle Dick Hutchison (Jay, Oklahoma), Frosty (Booneville, Iowa), Cyril Stinnett (Oregon, Missouri), Casey Jones (Ottumwa, Iowa), Ed Davis (Kansas City), Henry Wells (Fayette, Missouri), Dwight Lamb (Ottawa, Iowa), Byron Berline (Caldwell, Kansas), Long John Jernigan (Kansas City), Kirk and Ernest Brandenberger (Keokuk, Iowa), Pete McMahan (Harrisburg, Missouri), Lyman Enloe (Raytown). (LWO 12,302)

AFS 19,441: One disc containing 4 fiddle tunes performed by Uncle Dick Hutchinson. Recorded in Jay, Oklahoma. Recorded by Howard W. Marshall on an unknown date.

AFS 26,049-26,170: Indians for Indians Hour Collection
One hundred twenty-one discs of the radio program, "Indians for Indians Hour," hosted by Don Whistler. Recorded at WNAD, Norman, Oklahoma, August 1943-October 1950. (tape copy on RWB 9561-9580; RWB 9606-9608)

AFC 1988/024: Scott and Doris Tonemah / Songs of the Caddo Collection
Four 10-inch tapes of Caddo songs performed by 9 singers in a recording session at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, June 10, 1962.

AFC 1991/045: Frank Speck Collection of Delaware Cylinder Recordings
Nine cylinder recordings of Delaware dance songs and spoken word. Recorded in Oklahoma by Frank Speck, 1928. The original cylinders are part of the collections of the State Museum of Pennsylvania. (tape copy on RWE 9963)

AFC 1997/011: Lands' End All-American Quilt Collection
Lands' End in cooperation with Good Housekeeping magazine sponsored quilt contests in 1992, 1994, and 1996. The collection,housed in 154 boxes, consists of visual images, entry blanks, and essays written by entrants, as well as Lands End administrative files and correspondence pertinent to the promotion of the contest. Approximately 13,100 entries for the three contests came from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Numerous types and styles of needlework, quilting, patchwork, applique and embroidery are represented among the visual images. [catalog record] [finding aid] [online presentation]

AFC 1999/009: Les Gilliam Collection
Two undated (ca. 1990s) videorecordings of narratives and songs performed by Les Gilliam, the "Oklahoma Balladeer." The video, "Cowboy Hit Parade," features 10 popular cowboy songs (37 min.). The video, "Oklahoma Pride," contains country and western songs of well known Oklahoma natives such as Woody Guthrie, Gene Autry, Bob Wills, and others (50 min.). Also included are photographs of Les Gilliam and his Silverlake Band, lists of songs performed on the videorecordings, and a brochure. [catalog record]

AFC 2000/001: Local Legacies Collection
Four hundred and five linear feet (approximately 90,000 manuscript pages, 475 sound recordings, 13,270 graphic materials, 335 electronic media, and 75 artifacts) of documentation of local festivals, fairs, parades, and other community-based events from each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories and trusts. The Local Legacies Collection was donated through the efforts of individuals, organizations, and institutions asked to participate by members of Congress. This project was part of the Library of Congress Bicentennial celebration in the year 2000. [catalog record] [online presentation] [Oklahoma Local Legacies]

AFC 2001/009: Jason Baird Jackson and Victoria Lindsay-Levine Collection of Yuchi Dance Music
Collection of Yuchi (Euchee) unaccompanied dance music sung by Newman Littlebear and Simon Harry. Many of the dances are in the form of call and response or unison singing. The recording includes Duck dance songs, Four corners dance, Turtle dance songs, Ribbon dance songs, Tobacco songs, Stomp dance songs, Bean dance song, Morning dance song, and more. Also includes biographical information about Newman Littlebear prepared by Jason Baird Jackson for Littlebear's nomination for a 2001 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) National Heritage Fellowship. [catalog record]

AFC 2001/015: September 11, 2001, Documentary Project Collection
The collection documents reactions of ordinary citizens in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States through sound and video recordings of interviews and personal narratives; as well as photographs, children's drawings, two scrapbooks, letters and e-mail, poems, ephemera, and a few artifacts. Some items were submitted as group projects of schools, libraries, and museums from 30 states in the U.S., and from American military service personnel and their families in Naples, Italy. [catalog record] [finding aid] [online presentation]

AFC 2001/015: SR324: One CD containing 14 audio interviews recorded in Norman, Oklahoma, by Tierza Rose Draper, October 19-29, 2001.

AFC 2002/002: D.C. & Selby Minner / Oklahoma Blues collection
One videocassette of documentation of the "Dusk til Dawn Blues Festival" in Rentiesville, Oklahoma, and of the music of D.C. and Selby Minner.

AFC 2003/027: Pete and Toshi Seeger Film Collection
Approximately 700 film and audio elements relating to Pete and Toshi Seeger's filmmaking from 1955-1965 at various locations in: Angola, Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Somoa, Sweden, Tanzania, Trinidad, Ukraine, and the United States. In the United States, locations include Beacon, New York; Circle Pines, Michigan; Hamilton, Ohio; Huntsville, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Madison, Wisconsin; New York, New York; Newport, Rhode Island; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Washington, DC, among others.

[uncataloged]: Three reels of film elements documenting the 1957 National Folk Festival, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

AFC 2004/033: American Indian Music and Dance Troupe Concert Collection
Collection includes sound and video recordings of "Kiowa and Comanche Traditions from Oklahoma," a dance presentation performed by Kiowa-Comanche, Comanche, and Comance-Sioux dancers. Tom Mauchahty-Ware discusses traditional music and dance; some of the dances performed are those seen in powwow competitions. Manuscripts include program flyer and publicity. Part of the Homegrown 2004 concert series. [catalog record]

AFC 2008/028: Do All Indians Live in Tipis? And Other Compelling Questions for Education, Lecture by Edwin Schupman
Benjamin Botkin Folklife Lecture Series, August 5, 2008. Edwin Schupman, citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, is an education materials developer at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). He discusses countering historical confusion, misperceptions, and stereotypes about American Indians. [catalog record] [event flyer and webcast]