African Diaspora at Internet Archive: Emma Backus

Carrying on with the theme of folktale collectors of the 19th century, I wanted to share the stories collected by Emma Backus; they were not published in book form, but I have combined the articles she published in the Journal of American Folklore, all public domain, here: Emma Backus in the Journal of American Folklore (a PDF that I uploaded to the Internet Archive):

You'll find 35 different stories in these 5 different articles:

Animal Tales from North Carolina: When Brer Deer and Brer Terrapin Runned a Race ~ When Mr. Terrapin Went Riding on the Clouds ~ Why the Spider Never Got in the Ark ~ How Come Brer Bar Sleep in the Winter ~ How Come Mr. Buzzard to Have a Bald Head  ~ The Woolly Crows 

Folk Tales from Georgia: When Brer Rabbit Get Brer Bear Churched ~ When Brer Rabbit Was Presidin' Elder ~ When Brer Wolf Have his Corn Shucked ~ Brer Rabbit's Cool Air Swing ~ When Brer Fox Don't Fool Brer Rabbit ~ When Brer Frog Give a Big Dining ~ When Sis Coon Put Down Brer Bear ~ How Come the Mooly Cow Don' Have No Horns ~ When Mr. Pine-Tree and Mr. Oak-Tree Fall Out ~ How the Little Boy Went to Heaven  

Negro Ghost Stories: Miss Julie Ghost ~ Ole Man Cesar ~ Munsta  

Negro Tales from Georgia: When Brer Rabbit Saw Brer Dog's Mouth So Brer Dog Can Whistle ~ Bro' Rabbit an' de Water-millions ~ Bro' Fox an' de Foolish Jay-bird ~ When Brer Rabbit Help Brer Terrapin ~ When Brer Possum Attend Miss Fox's House-party ~ How Brer Fox Dream He Eat Brer Possum ~ Superstition of the Graveyard Snake and Rabbit ~ Why Mr. Owl Can't Sing ~ The Negro's Superstition of the Spanish Moss ~ How Brer Rabbit Practise Medicine

Tales of the Rabbit from Georgia Negroes: Why the People Tote Brer Rabbit Foot in their Pocket ~ Brer Rabbit Born to Luck ~ Why Mr. Dog Runs Brer Rabbit ~ How Brer Rabbit Bring Dust out of the Rock ~ When Brer Rabbit Save the Pig ~ How Come the Pigs Can See the Wind

I have not been able to find any biographical information about Emma Backus, so if anyone has any information to share, please let me know! Meanwhile, enjoy the stories; the Journal of American Folklore is full of valuable material, and these stories make for good reading.

Emma Backus

in the Journal of American Folklore