American Folk Legend: A Symposium

The symposium on American folk legend organized by UCLA in 1969 marked a significant step toward addressing a neglected area in folklore scholarship. Held from June 19 to 22, the conference brought together eleven delegates from the United States and Canada, along with staff members from the guest institution, to discuss the challenges and developments in American folk legend study. The conference provided a platform for notable contributions from figures such as Richard M. Dorson, Robert A. Georges, Linda Dégh, and others. Discussions covered diverse aspects of folk legend, including definition, classification, structure, and socio-psychological values, and featured explorations of regional, Hispanic, and Latin American folklore.

The proceedings underscored the field's early stage of development in the United States and highlighted the need for comprehensive collections, surveys of legend genres, and thematic studies. The conference suggested that once these foundational efforts are in place, many ambiguities surrounding American legends could be clarified. Participants advocated for a more systematic approach, akin to the rigor applied to folk song and ballad research, to achieve a better understanding of American legendry. These discussions pointed to the need for fieldwork and scholarly attention to uncover and classify legends, which would enable scholars to undertake meaningful analyses of American folklore.

In summary, the conference not only aimed to share existing knowledge but also served as a call to action for greater scholarly focus on American legends. The organizers expressed hope that the symposium would inspire new research, stimulate the discovery of published materials, and encourage scholars to map out specific research areas within American folk legend. This event laid the groundwork for a more systematic and expansive study of folklore in the United States, advancing an often-overlooked field toward a more structured and accessible discipline.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1971.