Ben Botkin (1901-1975) was an American folklorist and scholar.
Botkin was a pioneering folklorist who embraced the ever-evolving state of folklore. Folklore was not static but ever changing and being created by people in their daily lives.
From 1942 to 1945 Botkin headed the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress where he focused attention on the emerging aspects of folklore in modern life.
Botkin insisted that democracy is strengthened by the valuing of myriad cultural voices.
His idea that folklore is basically creative expression used to communicate and instill social values, traditions, and goals is a widely accepted concept by folklorists today. Botkin is considered the "father of public folklore".
The American Folklore Society awards the Ben Botkin Prize to individuals whose work in documenting American folklore has deepened the conversation of the way in which people create an art that reflects their reality and transmits culture and understanding.
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