About the 2019 Exhibit
First shown at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Folklore Society (AFS), Notable Folklorists of Color: Remembering Our Ancestral Legacies was developed to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Cultural Diversity Committee (CDC). In this exhibit curators Dr. Phyllis M. May-Machunda and Dr. Olivia Cadaval highlight 25 scholars of color, ancestors whose significant contributions expanded research in folkloristics and laid a foundation for folkloristic scholarship by people of color in communities of color.
As a standing committee of the AFS Executive Board, the CDC has been engaged in promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity concerns across the academic, community and national fronts. The work of the CDC remains critical as we continue to engage equitably with local communities and shift the social justice lens inward to address questions about race and systemic privilege within our own Society. At the Society’s meeting in Baltimore in 2019, the CDC recognized and expanded the groundwork of the past 25 years with a variety of sessions and events, including this exhibit. We look forward to continued strengthening of the diversity and vibrancy of AFS through this project and many other initiatives.
On June 5, 2020, AFS and its partners released this statement against race-based violence and injustice. The launch of this online exhibit is part of our ongoing work to raise awareness and make meaningful change in our society and our field.
To learn more about the American Folklore Society, please visit americanfolkloresociety.org.