ENGL 2423 Chapter : The American Folklore Society
Document Summary
The american folklore society, formed in 1888 by william wells newell, is a. The diverse group is made up of college professors, anthropologist, and folklorists that did the majority of their work outside the walls of higher education systems. After its inception the society helped to steer ethnographers to certain groups of people that they felt were important areas of study, one of those groups being southern african americans. The study of african american folklore and in more particular southern folklore offers researchers an invaluable insight into the history and worldview of african americans. African american folklore, also called folktales, includes a wide variety of myths, storytelling, rap, songs, ballads and any other orally transmitted lore, according to. American folklore, though originally transmitted verbally, assumed a written from in the works of writers such as charles chestnutt, zora neale hurston, langston hughes, and.
