The experiences of the National Heritage Fellows are vital to the cultural history of the United States. For this reason, staff at the American Folklife Center, and invited guests, often conduct oral history interviews with Fellowship recipients, then place these interviews into the archives of the American Folklife Center. This work celebrates the unique contributions of National Heritage Fellows and preserves their stories for future generations.
The selection of oral history interviews below privileges digital-born interviews that occurred during the past thirty years. Search the collections of individual Fellowship recipients for more oral history interviews, especially those conducted before the mid-1990s. Another extensive collection of oral history interviews with National Heritage Fellows is available on ArtWorks, the podcast of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The oral history interviews below are organized by the year the artist received the National Heritage Fellowship, rather than the date of the oral history interview.
Oral history interview with 2011 National Heritage Fellows Roy and PJ Hirabayashi of San Jose Taiko. The artists are interviews by Daniel Sheehy, who also received the National Heritage Fellowship for advocacy in the traditional arts in 2015. This interview was recorded in the Whittall Pavilion at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC on June 30, 2017.
Documentary Arts, Inc National Heritage Fellows collectionIn celebration of the legacy of the pioneering old-time musician and National Heritage Fellow Ola Belle Reed (1916-2002), Reed's son Dave Reed, her nephew Hugh Campbell and members of the acclaimed bluegrass band Danny Paisley and Southern Grass gather to discuss their family history as well as bluegrass and gospel songs of their Appalachian heritage. Held at the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress on September 9, 2015.
Oral history with Liz Carroll (featuring John Doyle)Oral history interview with Phong NguyenOral history interview with Mary Louise Defender WilsonOral history interview with Eddie PenningtonOral history interview with Joe WilsonOral history interview with National Heritage Fellow Flory Jagoda, conducted by Howard Bass on November 11, 2013.
Oral History Interview with Domingo "Mingo" SalvidarOral history with National Heritage Fellow Chum Ngek and the Cambodian-American Heritage Dancers. Conducted by Joanna Pecore in the Coolidge Auditorium at the Library of Congress on April 21, 2017.
Oral history interview with Joe DerraneOral history interview with Chuck Campbell
Oral history interview with Michael DoucetOral history interview with Jerry GrcevichOral history interview with National Heritage Fellow Ledward Kaapana, conducted by John Fenn on July 5, 2017.
Oral history interview with Kevin DoyleOral history interview with National Heritage Fellows Michael Alpert and Ethel Raim, conducted by Pete Rushefsky on June 25, 2013.
National Heritage Fellow Daniel Sheehy conducts an oral history interview with Grupo Rebolú, an Afro-Columbian musical ensemble. Held at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC on August 18, 2018.
Eva YbarraOral history interview with National Heritage Fellow Ethel Raim, conducted by Nancy Groce at the Whittall Pavilion at the Library of Congress on June 20, 2008.
Oral history interview with National Heritage Fellows Michael Alpert and Ethel Raim, conducted by Pete Rushefsky on June 25, 2013.
Oral history interview with National Heritage Fellow Onnik Dinkjian, also featuring Ara Dinkjian. Conducted by Carolyn Rapkevian on July 3, 2018.
Oral history interview with Los LobosJoe DeLeon "Little Joe" Hernandez
