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Hoosigander |
As part of the New Deal the Farm Security Administration was created in 1935 (originally called the Resettlement Administration), it was at first intended to aid and resettle migrants from the drought-stricken southwest of the United States, but soon expanded its purview to combating rural poverty more generally. The FSA also hired photographers and writers to document ordinary Americans for the FSA's Information Division. Many of these photographs were compiled online along with those produced during WWII by the Office of War Information at http://photogrammar.yale.edu/, a project jointly undertaken by Yale University and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
In the process of their expeditions many of these photographers captured fascinating images of old time musicians (I use old time to refer to traditional dance music, many of these photographs were taken outside the Appalachian region) performing in a wide variety of contexts: house parties, migrant camps, as well as dance halls. I thought it might be a good idea to compile some of them here, since people might be interested in seeing them but not have the time to wade through the many thousands of photos on the website. I have tried to organize them roughly in an order that has some sense. All captions are the original ones.
An interesting thing to note is that the majority of banjos featured in this collection seem to be Tenor Banjos played with a plectrum. The Upland South is not well represented in these pictures (perhaps explaining the lack of five string banjos); despite the presence of both FSA photographers and a thriving tradition of old time music in the Southeastern States.
Lon Allen and his son playing their fiddles to the tune of "The Arkansas Traveler." The fiddle played by the son was made by him. Near Iron River, Michigan. Photo by Russell Lee.
Meeker County, Minnesota. Music supplied by two Meeker County farmers for dance at crossroads store. Photo by John Vachon.
At a Saturday night square dance in Clayville, Rhode Island. Photo by Jack Delano.
Spanish-American native dance. Fiesta at Taos, New Mexico. Photo by Russell Lee.
Penasco, New Mexico. A native band at a dance. J. L. Lopez Orchestra. Photo by John Collier.
Albuquerque, New Mexico. Spanish-American native orchestra in a dance hall. Photo by John Collier.
Band playing at Saturday night dance. Tulare migrant camp. Visalia, California. Photo by Arthur Rothstein.
Weslaco, Texas. FAS (Farm Security Administration) camp. Drake family playing for a Saturday night dance. Photo by Arthur Rothstein.
Musicians at the square dance. Pie Town, New Mexico. Photo by Russell Lee.
Woodville, California. FSA (Farm Security Administration) farm workers' community. Musicians at the Saturday night dance. Photo by Russell Lee.
Orchestra at square dance in McIntosh County, Oklahoma. Photo by Russell Lee.
Cajun orchestra at fais-do-do dance near Crowley, Louisiana. Photo by Russell Lee.
Musicians playing accordion and washboard in front of store, near New Iberia, Louisiana. Photo by Russell Lee.
New York, New York. Orchestra at a Turkish nightclub on Allen Street. Photo by Marjory Collins. Another photo shows that the man on the right is playing an Oud.
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