This finding aid itemizes the contents of the South Georgia Folklife Collection, housed in the Archives and Special Collections of Odum Library at Valdosta State University. This multi-genre and multi-format ethnographic collection is an outgrowth of the South Georgia Folklife Project, founded by folklorist and ethnomusicologist Dr. Laurie Kay Sommers in 1996. It reflects ten years of field documentation and public programs from 1996-2006. Highlights of the collection include Southeast Georgia Sacred Harp, Okefenokee Music Survey, Flint River fisheries, Traditions of Turpentiners, Folkwriting (Lessons on Place, Heritage and Traditions for the Georgia Classroom), online exhibits, and a radio archives of documentary programs originally broadcast on Georgia Public Radio and other public radio affiliates.
The SGF collection includes more than 350 field sound and video recordings (both music and oral interviews), over 1500 photographs, manuscripts, fieldnotes, books, commercial recordings, and vertical file materials from a wide array of genres. Although the collection is multi-genre, music materials predominate. Only a portion of these materials are currently available online. For more information about the collection, or to arrange an appointment, please contact the VSU Archivist. For additional information on the collection, see below.
PROJECT
HISTORY 
GEOGRAPHIC
SCOPE ABOUT THE
COLLECTOR
RESEARCH
AND GRANT REPORTS SOUTH
GEORGIA FOLKLIFE BIBLIOGRAPHY
COLLECTION SERIES: The following links direct to brief overviews of each of the series
(assigned unique PRJ or "project" numbers).
SOUTH GEORGIA FOLKLIFE OVERVIEW SERIES
SACRED HARP SERIES
VERTICAL FILE SERIES
LAST HARVEST SERIES
SOUNDS OF SOUTH GEORGIA SERIES
EXPLORING COMMUNITY HERITAGE SERIES
STUDENT PROJECT SERIES