Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the primary purpose of the Federal Writers' Project?
What was the primary purpose of the Federal Writers' Project?
Which of the following types of materials is NOT included in the Federal Writers' Project holdings?
Which of the following types of materials is NOT included in the Federal Writers' Project holdings?
Approximately how many documents make up the collection of life histories?
Approximately how many documents make up the collection of life histories?
Which notable author is NOT mentioned as a writer for the Federal Writers' Project?
Which notable author is NOT mentioned as a writer for the Federal Writers' Project?
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What is one common characteristic of the life histories compiled by the Federal Writers' Project?
What is one common characteristic of the life histories compiled by the Federal Writers' Project?
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What was assembled and microfilmed at the conclusion of the Slave Narrative project?
What was assembled and microfilmed at the conclusion of the Slave Narrative project?
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Which of the following states was NOT initially involved in the Federal Writers' Project's collection of slave narratives?
Which of the following states was NOT initially involved in the Federal Writers' Project's collection of slave narratives?
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How were the volumes of slave narratives organized?
How were the volumes of slave narratives organized?
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What significant action took place in 2000-2001 regarding the slave narratives?
What significant action took place in 2000-2001 regarding the slave narratives?
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What was the primary goal of the Federal Writers' Project during the years 1936-1938?
What was the primary goal of the Federal Writers' Project during the years 1936-1938?
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What may apply to the persons interviewed or whose words were transcribed in the collection?
What may apply to the persons interviewed or whose words were transcribed in the collection?
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Study Notes
Slave Narratives Collection
- The Library of Congress holds over 2,300 first-person accounts of slavery.
- Fifty hundred black-and-white photographs of former slaves are also part of the collection.
- Collected by the Federal Writers' Project (FWP) of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s.
- The narratives were edited and microfilmed into seventeen volumes titled "Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves" in 1941.
- The collection was digitized from microfilm and original photographic prints in 2000-2001, with support from the Citigroup Foundation.
- The collection is a joint effort of the Manuscript and Prints and Photographs divisions.
- No copyright restrictions apply for the materials in this collection, in the US.
- Materials produced by U.S. government employees are typically not subject to copyright protection in the US. However, copyright may apply in foreign countries.
- The individuals interviewed weren't government employees.
- Privacy and publicity rights may apply to the individuals.
Narrative Organization
- Narratives are organized alphabetically by interview location state, and then by surname.
- Administrative files are located at the beginning of Volume 1.
- Administrative files detail FWP instructions and concerns from state directors.
- The original narratives were organized by state, and then alphabetically by informant name within each state.
Historical Context
- The project started in four states (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia) in 1936 to collect individual accounts of life in slavery.
- John A. Lomax, National Advisor on Folklore and Folkways, directed the remaining states to interview former slaves, starting in 1937.
- Field workers were instructed on interview question types and capturing dialect.
- Interviewers often visited informants twice to gather richer accounts.
- Photographs of informants and their homes were often taken.
- Funding for the FWP project ended in 1939.
- Benjamin A. Botkin compiled remaining manuscripts, completed editing, indexing, and selected photographs, all for inclusion.
- The seventeen-volume collection was finalized in 1941..
Related Materials
- Other WPA records exist at the National Archives and Records Administration.
- "The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography" by George P. Rawick contains this data.
- "Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery" and "Voices from Slavery" are based on the Library of Congress collection.
Copyright and Additional Information
- The Library of Congress is not aware of any copyright restrictions on this collection for U.S. use.
- U.S. government employees created the materials.
- Generally, works created by U.S. government employees are not protected by copyright in the U.S., though copyright restrictions may apply in some foreign countries.
- The individuals interviewed were not typically U.S. government employees.
- Privacy and publicity rights might apply to individuals.
- Suggested credit lines:
- For digital images of typewritten narratives: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division.
- For digital images of photographs: Library of Congress, [name of custodial division]. (Note: Photograph origin is in the individual photograph record).
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Description
Test your knowledge of the Federal Writers' Project, its purposes, holdings, and notable authors. This quiz covers essential aspects of the project and how it contributed to American literature and history. Challenge yourself and learn interesting facts about this historic initiative!
