Sacred Texts  Americana 

Coffee in the Gourd edited by J. Frank Dobie [1923]

This is a folklore miscellany originally published by the Texas Folk-lore society in 1923, and reprinted in 1935. The articles reflect the cultural diversity of Texas, including articles on African-American, Tejano, German and Native American folklore. One of the highlights is an interview with W.C. Handy, 'the father of the blues;' the lyrics in this piece foreshadow some of the great rock compositions of the sixties. The articles vary widely from academic to amateur in tone. As usual, the original text has been transcribed verbatim. It reflects the time and place in which it was written, and includes ethnic terms and characterizations which today would be considered wildly offensive, even in an ethnographic context. Caveat lector.

Thanks to Eliza Yetter for transcribing this collection.