African Diaspora at Internet Archive: American Negro Folklore

Yesterday I mentioned the importance of ballads in African American folklore traditions (John Henry), and I thought a good book to share today would be this marvelous overview of African American folklore by the remarkable John Mason Brewer: American Negro Folklore.

You can find out more about John Mason Brewer at Wikipedia. Among his many accomplishments, he was the first African American to serve on the council of the American Folklore Society. 

Here's a historical marker in his honor in Goliad:

I'll have more to say about Brewer when I write up blog posts about his other books at the Internet Archive; for today, I just want to focus on the huge range of content available in this big anthology (400+ pages), as you can see from the table of contents below.

Part 1: Tales

Animal Tales. The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story / How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox / De Wolf, De Rabbit, and de Tar Baby / Eyeball Candy / Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear / Mr. Fox Goes a-Hunting, but Mr. Rabbit Bags the Game / Granny's Version of the Owl / Sheer Crops / Buh Owl an Buh Rooster / Buh Lion an Buh Goat / Story of a Cow en' Buh Mule

How Come and Why Tales. Why the Negro is Black / Why the Holy Amen Church Has Two Doors / Why the Rabbit Has a Short Tail / Why the Buzzrad Has a Red Hood / Granny's Version of the Eagle Who Became a God / How the Church Came to Be Split Up / Why There are So Many Mosquitoes

Tales of Folk Figures. John and His Boss-man's Watermelon Patch / John and the Two White Men in Court / ole Pete / The Green Runner / The Sweetheart of Harriet Tubman's Brother / King Charley of Albany / Peg Leg and the Tulsa Race Riot / Nancy Vaughn / Jim Beckwourth, Frontiersman / Memories of Lead Belly

Reality-Thinking Tales:

Ghost Stories. Little Black Sambo from Guinea / Treasure Hunting Story / The Sprinkle Man / A Ghost Voodoo Story / A Fish Story from Farmville, Virginia / Uncle Henry and the Dog Ghost / The Saturday Night Fiddler / The Half-Clad Ghost / The Deserted Village / Two Ghost Stories from the Same Section of Virginia / A Negro Ghost Story / Little Nero and the Magic Tea Cakes

Tales of Ranch Life. The Red Toro of Hidalgo County / Ropes Cost Money / The George West Steer / The Palacios Rancher and the Preacher /

Aunt Dicy Tales. Aunt Dicy and the Mailman / Aunt Dicy and the Snuff Salesman / According to Where the Drop Falls / Aunt Dicy and Booker T. Washington's Speech

Reality-Thinking Tales from the North. Twelve Days after Christmas / The Talking Mule / Why the Jews Don't Eat Hog / The White Quail / The Detroit Race Riot / Pony Moore's Story / The Coon in the Box / The Big Watermelon / Brand-Name Stories

Reality-Thinking Tales from the South. Jack and Dinah / Uncle Si, His Boss-man, and Hell / Uncle Aaron Loses His Home / Uncle Aaron Goes Fishing / Uncle Aaron Orders a Baking Pan / The Woman Hurricane / Who's Ready for Who? / A Laugh That Meant Freedom / The Cotton-Pickin' Monkeys / The Oklahoma Freedman / Too Many Ups / Little Julia and Her Grandmother's Cat / The Negro Taxi Driver's Trial / A Yellow Bastard / Tim and Bill from Summerville / How Uncle Steve Interpreted Spanish / Elvannah's Leave-taking / Gib Morgan's Fight / John Green Peas

Part 2. The Negro's Religion

Tales. Brother Brown's Announcement / The Boy Who Played Jesus / Witness of the Johnstown Flood in Heaven / Sister Rosie and the African Missionary / God Throws a Tree Limb / Brother Gregg Identifies Himself / Why So Many Negroes Are in Heaven / Sister Sadie Washington's Littlest Boy / The Preacher and His Farmer Brother / A Job for God / Little David's Question

Sermons and Prayers. Why We Come to Church / The Danger of Neglect / De Progicul Son / De Tetter Wine Christun / A Negro's Version of Heaven and Hell / Dem Sebun Wimmin / Prayers

Part 3. Songs

Spirituals. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Steal Away / Old Ship of Zion / The Gospel Train / This Old Time Religion / Lord, I Wish I Had a Come / Did Not Old Pharaoh Get Lost? / When Moses Smote the Water / Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? / He Rose from the Dead / My Good Lord's Been Here / Show Me the Way / Nobody Knows the Trouble I See, Lord! / I Ain't Got Weary Yet / I'm a Rolling / All the Time / A Shout Song: Get Right, Stay Right

Folk Blues. Lonesome Blues / Worried Blues / Careless Love / Good Mornin' Blues / Frankie Blues / Michigan Water Blues

Slave Seculars and Work Songs. Foller de Drinkin' Gou'd / Aurore Pradere / Many T'ousand Go / Lay Dis Body Down / I Went to Atlanta / Workin' on de Railroad / Levee Moan / Dis Ole Rock Mine / Sweet Mamie Chadman / Carry Me Back to Old Virginny

Ballads. John Henry / Ella Speed / De Ballit of de Boll Weevil / De Grey Goose / Bob-ree Allin / The Kosciusko Bootlegger's Gripe / The Death of Brock / The Ballad of Harrison Neal

Some Other Songs. A Sea Chantey / Tone de Bell Easy / Honey Bee / Katie an' the Jim Lee Had a Race / We Shall Overcome / Rosie

Part 4. Personal Experiences

Slavery Time. I Can't Forgive Her / If All Slaves Had Belonged to White Folks Like Ours / Out of the Mouths of Ex-Slaves / Kicked Around Like a Mule / Master God Good When War Come Up / Mulatto Whom Owners Treated Like Family Member / The Negro Slave's Pride / Harriet Parker on Slavery

Reconstruction Days. Dorie Boyd on Freedom and Reconstruction / Reconstruction Was a Mighty Hard Pull / Ku Klux / Little but Way Out in Front / The Reverend Matthew N. McRae on The Closest I Evuh Come to Bein' Robbed /

Religious Conversion. Hooked in the Heart / Everything Just Fits / Jesus Handed Me a Ticket

Wartime Experiences. Negroes in the Civil War / He Wanted to Ask a Question

They Speak of Many Things. Experiences of a Chimney Sweeper / New Orleans' First Baby Doll / A Wife Longs for the Town / A Farm Wife Tells of Her Children / A Negro Cowboy / Trabbler Man / No Money, but Provisions / Jim Finn on Calling Up the Devil / Luster an' de Devil / A Harlem Jive Spiel

Part 5. Superstitions. Back Luck Signs / Birds of ILl Omen / Gambling Superstitions / Popular Beliefs / Don'ts / Signs / Weather Lore / Superstitions about Animals / Folk Beliefs from Florida / The Lady in Black / A Witch Sotry / Flying People

Part 6. Proverbs. Plantation Proverbs / Aphorisms from the Quarters / Creole Proverbs / Some Georgia Proverbs / A Few More Old-Time Negro Proverbs /

Part 7. Rhymes. Antebellum Marriage Proposal / Slave Marriage Ceremony / Raise a Rucus Tonight / A Day's Happiness / Cotton-Eyed Joe / Four Runaway Negroes / Bullfrog Put on the Soldier Clothes / Wanted: Cornbread and Coon / Destitute Former Slave Owners / The Cow Needs a Tail in Fly-Time / Bedbug / A Few Negroes by States / Hoecake / Religious Rhymes / World War II Rhymes / Dirty Dozens / Street Cries / Jeering and Taunting / Brother Johnson's Toast

Part 8. Riddles.

Part 9. Names.

Part 10. Children's Rhymes and Pastimes. Mamma's Darling / Little Sleeping Negroes / Stealing a Ride / Two Sick Negro Boys / The Little Rooster / Training the Boy / The End of Ten Little Negroes / Little Boy Who Couldn't Count Seven / Mother Says I Am Six Years Old / When I Was a Little Boy / Pretty Little Girl / Washing Mamma's Dishes / Autograph Album Rhymes / Ring-Game Songs

Tall Tales. The Tallest Man / The Blackest Man / The Stingiest Man / The Darkest Night / The Runningest Car / The Fattest Woman / The Coldest Day / The Longest Dog / The Poorest Horse / The Lowest Person / The Greediest Man / The Tallest Stalk of Corn / The Strongest Mule / The Fastest Running Man / The Biggest Fool / The Bowledggedest Man / The Hottest Day / The Poorest Land / The Crosseyedst Man

So, my own focus is on folktales, and especially animals tales (which do have pride of place even in this anthology, coming in Part 1), but this book is a wonderful way to get a sense of the range of African American folk culture... just a click away at the Internet Archive!

American Negro Folklore

by John Mason Brewer