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Social Justice
¿Qué hay en un nombre? Es una importante parte de nuestra identidad, nuestra existencia, y nos conecta a los mundos culturales y sociales de donde nos originamos.
There are times when a songwriter, a song, and a moment come together to make an impact beyond anyone’s expectations.
The Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia, was established during the Civil War, for interments of African Americans.
Martin Luther King Jr. and countless individuals laid their bodies and lives on the line in order to make the dream of an equal and just society for all citizens a reality.
Una vez al año, la gente se reúne en El Parque de la Amistad en San Diego, California, y Tijuana, México, para una ocasión feliz: el Fandango Fronterizo.
Listen to an interview with Arrington de Dionyso about his early inspirations from Folkways Records, the merits of explicit versus implicit political art, and his motivations to create collaborative and challenging music.
John Taylor’s “Stormy Monday” needs no accompaniment. The seasoned gospel singer’s bellowing voice can command a room with ease. It’s only after Taylor finishes singing that he’s introduced to audiences as an inmate
The history of R&B and the breadth of what it encompasses—socially, commercially, and artistically—tells a complex story of many strands and experiences.
In honor of the opening of NMAAHC, we have curated a playlist of some of our favorite and most influential African American musicians from Smithsonian Folkways.
GALACTIC now hosts GALACTIC@SI, a living classroom at the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
Folklife Magazine explores how culture shapes our lives. We publish stories about music, food, craft, language, celebrations, activism, and the individuals and communities who sustain these traditions.