Various (Carlson, Robert E. (Editor)

Nebraska Folklore Pamphlet Twenty: More Farmers' Alliance Songs of the 1890's

Lincoln, NE: Federal Writers' Project, 1939. First Edition. Stapled Sheets. "The present collection continues the recital of the farmers' grievances against the railroads (signalized by Jay Gould, John Thurston, and Mark Hanna) and the banking and political interests allied with them. Through high freight and interest rates, coupled with ruinously low prices for farm products, monopoly and speculation were dispossessing the farmer and arousing him to a reform campaign that produced a lively body of verse and song. In this...collection parodies of old favorites- "Bring Back my Bonnie to Me," "Old Dan Tucker," and "John Brown"- brought the songs close to folk sources." (from pg. 1) An original pamphlet published by the Federal Writers' Project, the New Deal agency that sent writers to all corners of the USA & resulted in many now-classic & highly collectible publications including the famous series of guides to various States. Letter-size stapled sheets, dated "May, 1939" at front cover sheet & first page, with printing on both sides of each page leaf (except inner covers). The series of numbered pamphlets of which this is one were "Reproduced from Material Gathered for a Book on the Folklore of the State/ Issued irregularly by the/ (FRP) in Nebraska" as stated on first page. An extremely rare relic of New Deal-era Americana, anticipating the "Mimeograph Revolution" while preceding it by several decades. In relatively good-to-near-fine, intact condition for such an aged & fragile production with mild-to-moderate rubbing, fading, browning & spotting to front & back cover sheets incl. blank inner covers; moderate wear incl. some short, closed tears at edges & corners of same; front cover sheet neatly detached from staples; moderate browning & rubbing to edges of text block; staples in process of rusting with minimal bleeding. Interior near-fine with moderate browning esp. at blank margins/edges of page leaves; tiny bumps & mostly small, faint creases at corners of same. Good- Near Fine. [Item #5284]

Price: $150.00