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American Folklife Center: Research Awards, Fellowships and Funded Internships

Archie Green Fellowships

Carl Fleischhauer, photographer. Archie Green prepares to testify at a Congressional hearing on the creation of the American Folklife Center. 1974. American Folklife Center.

To honor the memory of pioneering folklorist Archie Green (1917-2009), in 2010 the American Folklife Center (AFC) established a fellowship program supporting the documentation of occupational folklife in contemporary America.

To date, more than 2,000 interviews (audio and video oral histories, photographs, and fieldnotes), have been generated through fieldwork completed and submitted by Archie Green Fellows. These digital interviews will be preserved in the American Folklife Center archive and made accessible to the public through the online Occupational Folklife Project.

The next deadline for submitting Archie Green Fellowship applications is March 3, 2025.

Program Description

Derek Green, photographer. Archie Green wearing his Library of Congress Living Legend Award. 2007. American Folklife Center.

The deadline for submitting Archie Green Fellowship applications to be announced for Spring 2025. The American Folklife Center usually awards four Archie Green Fellowships of up to $30,000 each annually to support original fieldwork documenting the culture and traditions of contemporary American workers and/or occupational groups found within the United States. Projects must feature in-depth interviews with workers.

The original documentary materials generated during the course of each fellowship will become part of the American Folklife Center's archive. The American Folklife Center was established by Congress in 1976 to support research and scholarship in American folklife and to preserve, support, revitalize, and disseminate American folk traditions. Materials in the Center's archive are available to researchers and the general public. Archie Green Fellowship interviews will be posted to the Library of Congress website as part of the Occupational Folklife Project.

For previous Archie Green Fellows and their projects, see Previous Archie Green Awardees. For the resulting collections generated by their fieldwork and incorporated into the American Folklife Center Archive, see: Occupational Folklife Project.

Application Requirements

To be eligible, proposed projects must involve original research on, and documentation of, contemporary occupational culture in the United States. Eligibility is limited to individual applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Awards are made only to one individual project leader. Should a proposed project involve a team of fieldworkers, it will be the sole responsibility of the individual receiving the award to distribute funding to group members according to the plan articulated in the proposal. The Library of Congress will not split awards among a group nor make awards to organizations. This award is not intended to support field research projects undertaken for the completion of university degrees and previous awardees may not reapply for the same project.

Selection Process

Applications for the Archie Green Fellowship will be evaluated by a committee composed of a member of the American Folklife Center Board of Trustees, American Folklife Center staff and invited panelists from inside or outside of the Library.

Expectations

Marissa Wilson, photographer. Josh Wisniewski interviews Alaskan fisherman Moe Johnson for the Occupational Folklife Project “Beyond the Breakwater.” 2022. American Folklife Center.

Persons wishing to submit applications must develop a project plan detailing the subject of their research and the methods of digital documentation to be used. Successful applicants must agree to provide the American Folklife Center with the documentary interviews and related materials created during the course of their fellowship research.

Successful applicants must submit documentation in digital formats using American Folklife Center online metadata forms and protocols for descriptive, administrative, technical and other interview data. In addition to audio or video interviews, submitted materials must include time-coded logs or time-coded transcripts and American Folklife Center permission and release forms signed by interviewees. (For more information contact [email protected] or call 202-707-5510.)

A 600 to 800-word essay describing funded projects for use on the AFC website must accompany submission of materials generated by the fellowship, and successful applicants may be asked to write an article for the AFC blog, Folklife Today. All materials will become part of the American Folklife Center archive.

Fellowship recipients will submit a 1- to 2-page final report and financial accounting to the American Folklife Center upon completion of the 12-month fellowship. Indirect and overhead costs will be supported. Awarded funds are dispersed only through electronic transfers (direct deposit), and each awardee must provide banking information as requested.

How to Apply

Applicants for the Archie Green Fellowships at the American Folklife Center should submit the following materials via email on or before the deadline date. The term of each fellowship is limited to a period of one year and will be supported with funds of up to $30,000.

  • Cover sheet (contact information and project summery) -- follow this link.
  • Project Description (no more than 3 pages).
  • Project Budget, which, if necessary, may include the cost of purchasing professional-quality documentation equipment.
  • Project Timeline (no more than 12 months).
  • Statement of Agreement/Letter from occupational group to be documented, if appropriate.
  • Résumés for applicant and relevant team members.

Digital Documentation Requirements and Specifications

All fellows must comply with the American Folklife Center/Library of Congress digital standards. Therefore, proposed documentation must meet the following specifications:

  • Digital audio: 96khz/24bit or 44.1khz/16bit .wav file (only .wav files will be accepted)
  • Digital video: high-resolution digital video format
  • Digital images: high-resolution digital images
  • Text files (for logs, fieldnotes, final report, etc.): Microsoft Word

Submitting Application Materials

Your proposals and accompanying cover sheet must be submitted online via email--do not send via the U.S. Postal Service. Do not submit photographs, videotapes, CDs or any physical material.

Attach your application to an email with the subject line "[your last name] Archie Green Award application." Email to: Archie Green Fellowship Committee at [email protected].

Questions? If you have any questions, please contact the American Folklife Center or Archie Green Fellowships director Nancy Groce: email [email protected], or call 202-707-5510.