The Library of Congress is not aware of any U.S. copyright protection (see Title 17, U.S.C.) or any other restrictions on the material in the Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections, 1937-1942 except as noted below. Users should keep in mind that the Library of Congress is providing access to these materials strictly for educational and research purposes. The written permission of the copyright owners and/or other rights holders (such as the holders of publicity and/or privacy rights) is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. See our Legal Notices and Privacy and Publicity Rights for additional information and restrictions.
Please review About the Collection and "A Florida Treasure Hunt" for information on the history of the original materials and the nature of the collecting project. Except where noted below, the sound recordings were collected, and the manuscript materials composed, by fieldworkers employed by the U.S. Government under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration (renamed Work Projects Administration in August 1939, and identified by the acronym WPA from 1935-1943). The photographs on the home page of this collection were taken during the same time period by photographers working for the U.S. Government under the auspices of the Farm Securities Administration (FSA) and Office of War Information (OWI), and form part of the American Memory collection America from the Great Depression to World War II: Photographs from the FSA-OWI, 1935-1945. The State of Florida base map was created by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1940, and forms part of the American Memory Collection General Maps. Generally speaking, works created by U.S. Government employees are not eligible for copyright protection in the United States. Note, however, that the persons interviewed or whose words were transcribed were not employees of the U.S. Government. Privacy and publicity rights may apply.
The special character of collections that result from ethnographic field research is outlined in What is an Ethnographic Field Collection? The American Folklife Center and the professional fieldworkers who carry out these projects feel a strong ethical responsibility to the people they have visited and who have consented to have their lives documented for the historical record. The Center asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here. Researchers are also reminded that privacy and publicity rights may pertain to certain uses of this material.
While the Library is not aware of any copyright in the materials in this collection except as noted below, users should be aware of possible rights particularly in the underlying works in the sound recordings. As is often the case with materials collected in the course of ethnographic field research, it is frequently difficult or impossible to identify specific speakers or singers included in sound recordings. It is also often difficult or impossible to identify specific songs sung by participants sufficiently to perform a comprehensive assessment of the copyright status of underlying musical rights in lyrics or compositions. The Library of Congress has exhaustively researched this collection to ascertain any possible legal rights embodied in the materials in the collection. While we have been unable to identify any copyright in the recordings provided online here, we stress that the collection is being made available in American Memory strictly for educational, noncommercial uses. The staff of the American Folklife Center is eager to learn more about these materials and would like to hear from individuals or institutions that have information about them or have additional information about their history. They may be contacted at:
Library of Congress
American Folklife Center
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20540-4610
EMAIL: folklife@loc.gov
Note that of the total of 420 sound recordings in this collection in the American Folklife Center, forty-four sound recordings are not included in American Memory due to considerations of sound quality or other concerns. See a list of the items in the American Folklife Center's holdings but not provided here online. Researchers with an interest or need to review the entire body of material are encouraged to contact the American Folklife Center to make arrangements to do so.
Credit Line: Florida Folklife from the WPA Collections, Library of Congress, American Folklife Center
The following items are included in this online collection with permission as noted:
The article"State Folklore Recording Expedition Arrives Here," from Tampa Times, has been reproduced with the permission of The Tampa Tribune, P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601.
The correspondence of Alton C. Morris, who was not employed by the U.S. Government, is used with the permission of his son, Kenneth D. Morris.
The photograph of Stetson Kennedy on Big Talbot Island by Ivy Bigbee, Copyright 2000, is used with the permission of the photographer.
The photographs of Zora Neale Hurston smoking, Cross City turpentine camp, ca. 1939; Greek Orchestra, Tarpon Springs, ca. August 1939; and Robert Cook (with camera) and Stetson Kennedy (with recording equipment) documenting Edith Ogden-Aguilar Kennedy, Ybor City, 1939 have been reproduced from the Stetson Kennedy Papers with the permission of Stetson Kennedy (digital restoration by Ivy Bigbee).
How to Order Reproductions
Information about the ordering process for reproductions of materials in this online collection is available.
