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South Carolina Folklore, WPA Life Histories

The WPA life histories were written by the staff of the Folklore Project of the Federal Writers' Project for the United States Works Progress (later Work Projects) Administration (WPA) from 1936-1940. The Library of Congress collection includes 2,900 documents representing the work of over 300 writers from 24 states. Usually 2,000-15,000 words in length, the documents consist of drafts and revisions, varying in form. Some of the life histories are narratives while others are in the form of dialogue or monologue. A few were written as reports of case history. The histories describe the informant's family education, income, occupation, political views, religion and mores, medical needs, diet and miscellaneous observations. Pseudonyms were often substituted for individuals and places named in the narrative texts.

Too often, people think that the study of history means studying dates, governments, battles, and national leaders. All of these are important history topics, but historians learn much more about history by studying the lives of everyday people.
 

The first part of this project involves you in the study of  South Carolina social histories. You will go to the WPA Life Histories South Carolina Page and find a number of life histories that interest you. Read the documents to get a feel for what life was like in South Carolina during the late 1930s. Write an essay, comparing and contrasting at least two of the life histories.
 

As you read the histories, know that you are studying social history, which is the history of the everyday experiences and beliefs of ordinary people. Social historians study all sorts of people. They make contact with the people you might meet in your own life--teachers, farmers, custodians, factory workers, brick layers, shop keepers, policemen, firemen, homemakers, plumbers, etc. The number of social history topics is huge because social history looks at every aspect of day-to-day life, family life, recreation, work, social life, religious beliefs, and more. Most social historians study one group of people, such as Native Americans, one particular area, such as the sea islands of South Carolina, or a specific topic within social history, such as family life.
 

You will research a time period of South Carolina history. You will write a report using a word processing program and create a visual aid for your report. If you have access to a hypermedia program such as PowerPoint®, use it, if not create a poster or a diorama for your visual aid.

Link to Using PowerPoint® in the Classroom for some pointers on using PowerPoint® for your presentation.

Imagine that you are a social historian studying family life in South Carolina during a particular time period of history. Choose the time period that you will research from the list below.

• Colonial period - 1670-1774
• Revolutionary War - 1775-1783
• Ante-bellum period - 1784-1860
• Civil War - 1861-1865
• Reconstruction - 1865-1876
• Bourbon period - 1877-1889
• Populist period - 1890-1915

• What kind of food does the family usually eat? How do they get their food?
• What kinds of natural resources are available where this family lives?
• How do these resources influence the types of food, shelter, and clothing that the family has?
• What sort of clothing do the family members wear?
• What is their home like?
• Does every child in the family attend school? Why or why not?
• Can every member of the family read and write? Why or why not?
• Do the family members speak English? Why or why not.
• What kinds of books are available to the family?
• What role does religion play to the family's life?
• What sort work or chores does each member of the family do?
• Does the family own their own property? Why or why not?
• Which family members can vote? Do they vote?
• What kind of transportation does the family use?
• How far away is the nearest town? How large is that town and what is available there?
• What games do the children play?
• What do adults do for relaxation?
• What activities are family members involved in that might be considered an art or craft today?

Since you cannot go back in time, you will need to use what are known as primary and secondary sources to do your research. Social historians use many sources-- diaries, letters, songs, census information, artifacts including clothing and tools, photographs, public records including birth, marriage and death certificates, and oral histories. You may use the provided links to help you in your search. Be sure to use other sources such as biographies, history books, as well as personal visits to local museums, genealogical societies, and historical societies. To find out more about local resources take a look the the South Carolina  Historical and Genealogical Societies Home Page.  You will  also find the SCGenWeb Project home page for your county very useful in your search via the Internet. There you will find links to historical information on each of South Carolina's 46 counties as well as state-wide information. You may contact Assistant State Coordinator of the SCGenWeb project, Cynthia Ridgeway Parker if you need any more assistance in finding on-line links for your county. Be sure to utilize the South Carolina Information Highway, as there are a number of very useful links on that web site.
 

Now the the time period changes to the modern period - after 1915. You are conducting actual oral history interviews yourself. Create a set of interview questions and seek out various family members and friends, especially older people. Ask at least three people your questions. Find out what it was like in your home county before you were born or even before your parents were born. Write an essay comparing what your county was like then to what it is like now. Be sure to site your interview sources.