Revisiting Stories from the 1989 and 1990 Smithsonian Folklore Summer Institute for Community Scholars

Abstract

Abstract The term “community folklore scholar” has been used by public sector folklorists since the early 1980s, although its exact origins are subject to speculation. A discussion among public sector folklorists about the origins and usage of the term prompts the author to reflect on the development of the Smithsonian Folklore Summer Institute for Community Scholars in 1989 and 1990 and the stories told by the participants, which are still relevant today.