The organizational meeting of the American Folklore Society was at Harvard on 1/4/1888. The wish was expressed "that thorough studies. . .[be] made of Negro music and songs." It was felt that these should be made soon or else the songs would be forever gone. The society's success is partly attributed to its endorsement by Professors Child, Boas & Kittredge. It's really from that point that 'Negro songs' were termed "folk music." Journal of American Folk-Lore, April, 1888 (quoted in Negro Slave Songs by Miles Mark Fisher)

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