Introduction
Note: In this introduction, “we” will refer to Anna Halgash and Alyssa Machajewski.
In this ongoing project, we explore the development of American folk songs through intercultural influences and historical events. In the American folk tradition, music comes from many places and draws on older traditions. The songs can represent the changing cultural makeup brought on by waves of immigration and the shifts in perspective surrounding specific historical events. We designed this project to showcase the varying purposes and origins of American folk music. For example, some analyzed songs cover American history as far back as the American Revolution. We define folk music as music and lyrics that exist in oral tradition and popular consciousness, often without stated authors and tied to a particular heritage. These songs change as new musicians and generations revisit older music, contributing their own perspectives and experiences.
We envision a more extensive project where our research is supplemented by a database of various iterations of songs and recordings, as well as more songs studied. This would allow us to expand our understanding of the American folk song tradition and provide a contemporary perspective of American identity. In a potential project expansion, we would extend our online research, pursue domestic and international travel to archives, and create an online database that includes our analyzed folk songs, possibly on Omeka.
“Section 1: Intercultural Exchange and English-Language Folk Songs in the United States” will present folk songs with long traditions that crossed international borders and contributed to the intercultural exchange between America and other English-speaking countries. The earliest folk songs discussed in this section can be traced to folk song archivists in the 19th century. “Section 2: Folk Songs Based on American Historical Events” focuses on folk songs about specific historical events and how they speak on the greater American consciousness at the time. We hope users come away from this site with an enhanced appreciation for folk music in the United States.