The University of Texas Folklore Center Archives was established in 1957 and initially contained recordings collected by folklorists such as John A. Lomax, William A. Owens, John Henry Faulk, Norman McNeil, and Americo Paredes. Subsequently, other collections of recordings were added, and manuscript copies of student projects were retained as part of the archives beginning around 1962. In 1985 the collection was transferred from the UT Folklore Center to the Barker Texas History Center, now a section of the Center for American History.
The UT Folklore Center Archives includes approximately 57 feet of tapes (reels and audiocassettes) concerning a broad range of topics dealt with both in music and by the spoken word. The earliest recordings date from the late 1920s. Most of the tapes are cataloged. Recordings may be used only by appointment with the Sound Archivist.
The manuscript copies of student projects comprise 38 feet and date from 1962 to 1981. Arranged by name and/or genre, they relate to folklore topics such as legends, stories, jokes, various types of songs, customs, material culture, speech, puns, and riddles. There are name, place, and topical indexes for these papers. Other manuscript materials include oral histories, publications, notes, and checklists and indexes of recordings.
Audio recordings may be used only by appointment with the Sound Archivist.
UT Folklore Center Archives, ca. 1928-1981, Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.
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