Thomas G. Burton-Ambrose N. Manning Collection
Scope and Contents
The collection resulted from Dr. Burton’s and Mr. Manning’s interests in Appalachian folklore and related teaching, research, and service activities. A central component of the collection consists of reel-to-reel audio recordings, dub sheets, transcripts, and indices created as part of the professors' efforts to gather ballads, instrumental music, stories, superstitions and beliefs, folk remedies, and accounts of everyday life from individuals in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Interviews were conducted by the two professors and their students as part of class assignments.
The collection also includes correspondence concerning ballads, folk festivals, and taping of songs; lists and photographs of informants; newspaper clippings from the "Singing Out" column; plans for the folk festivals; and musical notations of traditional ballads, manuscripts, and publicity for the books which Professors Burton and Manning co-authored.
Dates
- 1899 - 1989
- Majority of material found within 1967 - 1971
Creator
- Manning, Ambrose N. (Person)
- Burton, Thomas G. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Digital access copies to audiovisual material are available for onsite use.
Conditions Governing Use
Recordings from the collection may not be used in commercial productions without the permission of Thomas Burton. With the permission of the archives, recordings may be duplicated or loaned for educational purposes. Recordings may be duplicated to provide copies for speakers and performers or their families. Photographs may not be duplicated without the permission of Dr. Burton. Two photos in Series IX taken by Kenneth Murray may not be duplicated without Murray's permission
Extent
37.50 linear feet (28 boxes, 2 oversized folders, 201 audiotapes, 12 video tapes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is divided into ten series as follows: Series 1, Correspondence, 1965-74; Series 2, Dub Sheets and Transcripts, 1964-79; Series 3, Indices, 1932, 1965-71 and undated; Series 4, Project Publications and Project Publicity, 1966-71; Series 5, Research Materials, ca. 1969; Series 6, Community Contributions, ca. 1966-74; Series 7, Folk Festivals, 1966-74; Series 8, Tapes: Audiotapes 1-157 and Videotapes BMV 3-6, 9-10, 1964-70; Series 8, Photographic Materials, 1925, 1932, 1956, 1968-1974 and undated; and Series 10, General Subject Files, 1899-1989. Oversized items have been removed and placed in an oversized box and two oversized folders.
Source of Acquisition
Thomas Burton and Ambrose Manning
Method of Acquisition
This research formed the core of East Tennessee State University's Oral History Archives, founded by Thomas Burton and Ambrose Manning in 1968. Later, Burton and Manning were integral to the establishment of the Archives of Appalachia at ETSU in 1979. They donated these tapes and related materials to the archives in January 1979 and the papers were opened for research in May 1979. Burton donated additional materials to the collection in 1989, 1990, 1993, and 2002.
Processing Information
In 1979, Kay Anders processed the original collection. In 1993 and 2001, additional materials were processed and incorporated into the collection by Marie Tedesco and Thomas Sneed.
- Ashley, Thomas Clarence, b. 1895
- Baird, Bertha
- Barker, Horton, b. 1889
- Davidson, Homer L.
- George, Franklin
- McGee, Sam, b. 1894
- Ward, Marshall
- Ward, Tab
- Watson, Doc
- African Americans Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Agriculture--Appalachian Region Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Animals--Folklore Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Appalachian Region -- Economic conditions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Appalachian Region -- Social conditions Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ballads Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Banjo music Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Bees (Cooperative gatherings) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Big Mary (Elephant) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children -- Appalachian Region Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Distilling, Illicit--Appalachian Region, Southern Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dulcimer Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Education -- Appalachian Region Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Fiddle tunes Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Folklore Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Funeral rites and ceremonies Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Games -- Appalachian Region Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ghosts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Gospel music Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Guitar music--Appalachian Region Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Handicraft Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Herbs Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Hicks, Buna Vesta Presnell, 1888-1984
- Hicks, Ray, 1922-2003
- Hunting Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Logging Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Marriage Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- McDermitt, Barbara Rice Damron
- Midwives Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Negatives (photographic) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Old-time music Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Personal papers Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Photographs Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Railroads--Songs and lore Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Religion Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Storytelling Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Superstition Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Traditional medicine Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Weather--Folklore Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Wit and humor Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Witchcraft Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Archives of Appalachia Repository
PO Box 70295
344 J.L. Seehorn Jr. Rd.
Johnson City TN 37614 USA
423-439-4338
423/439-4338
archives@etsu.edu