New KFME Grant

August 1, 2024 

We are excited to announce a $25,000 KFME grant from the Library of Congress’s Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Midwest Region for a new project of the online American Folk Song Collection. Entitled The Folk Songs of the Midwestern United States: Providing Primary Sources for K-12 Educators, this grant supports the research of songs collected in the Midwest to add to those already on this site.  It  follows TPS grants from the Western Region in 2018 and the Eastern Region in 2020.  New songs will include recordings, transcriptions, verses, game direction and background information including related materials available on the Library of Congress and TPS websites. The project will also fund the development of lesson plans, a new feature, to help teachers present songs in greater context.

This project will be undertaken in conjunction with staff of the Library’s American Folklife Center (AFC), our partner in research for this website for over 20 years.  Special thanks to Judith Gray, Folklife Specialist at the AFC, who has supported our work with her invaluable knowledge and advice.

Donations to KFME are critical to the continuation of the online American Folk Song Collection.  Donate here towards its ongoing maintenance and development.