Though study of American Indian cultures had been fostered for several centuries by missionaries and explorers, it was not until he nineteenth century that a disciplined and systematic approach to the study of New World cultures began to emerge. With Schoolcraft, Powell, Boas, and others, an adventurers avocation first became a profession, and it is to these early scholars that we owe the major theoretical perspectives and insights which provided a grounding for American anthropology and folklore studies.
In these twenty-one essays, many of which originally appeared in such now obscure...

Italian-Americans compose one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States. Though they have often been portrayed in fiction and film, many of these images are based on stereotypes not borne out among the immigrant and assimilated population. Italian-American Folklore draws its material directly from Americans of Italian descent in both urban and rural communities. The result is a book that, while strongly anchored in scholarship, is readable, entertaining, and illuminating. Chapters on folk speech, superstitions, folk medicine, games, and more tell of customs common to...

Arkansas's rich folklore tradition is treated in this collection of eight essays covering the history of folklore research in the state, traditional songs and music, "tall tales," folk architecture, traditional foods and their preparation, superstitions and beliefs, and festivals and celebrations. Includes extensive bibliographies of reference works, and audio and video recordings.