How a New Deal Era Music Unit Inspired a Generation of Folk Musicians
Podcast |
All Of It
Publisher |
WNYC Studios
Media Type |
audio
Podknife tags |
Arts
Books
Interview
Music
Society & Culture
Categories Via RSS |
Arts
Books
Music
Music Interviews
Performing Arts
Publication Date |
Jun 21, 2024
Episode Duration |
00:24:53

In the 1930s, President Roosevelt's New Deal program revitalized Americans struggling during the Great Depression, including those working in the arts. One program, the U.S. Music Unit, sought to record and collect folk songs from all over America. The program collected over 800 songs over a two-year span before it was shut down for supposed socialistic sympathies. Author Sheryl Kaskowitz has written a new book about the history of the program, A Chance to Harmonize: How FDR's Hidden Music Unit Sought to Save America from the Great Depression―One Song at a Time, and she is with us to discuss her book and listen to archival recordings.*This segment is guest-hosted by Kousha Navidar

How a New Deal Era Music Unit Inspired a Generation of Folk Musicians

In the 1930s, President Roosevelt's New Deal program revitalized Americans struggling during the Great Depression, including those working in the arts. One program, the U.S. Music Unit, sought to record and collect folk songs from all over America. The program collected over 800 songs over a two-year span before it was shut down for supposed socialistic sympathies. Author Sheryl Kaskowitz has written a new book about the history of the program, A Chance to Harmonize: How FDR's Hidden Music Unit Sought to Save America from the Great Depression―One Song at a Time, and she is with us to discuss her book and listen to archival recordings.*This segment is guest-hosted by Kousha Navidar

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