author
Vance Randolph
1892–1980
Best known for bringing the folklore of the Ozarks to a wide audience, this self-taught writer gathered songs, stories, sayings, and customs with unusual range and energy. His work helped preserve a vivid record of regional life that might otherwise have been lost.
3 Audiobooks
Life among the butterflies
by Vance Randolph
Life among the ants
by Vance Randolph
Our insect enemies
by Vance Randolph
About the author
Born in Pittsburg, Kansas, in 1892, Vance Randolph became one of the most important collectors of Ozark folklore. Reliable reference sources describe him as a self-educated folklorist and professional writer who focused especially on the traditional culture of the Ozarks, publishing for both general readers and more scholarly audiences.
Over the course of his career, he wrote numerous books and articles on Ozark life, including work on folk tales, beliefs, language, music, and customs. Sources from the Library of Congress and the University of Arkansas note that his fieldwork and publications made him a leading interpreter of the region, and he was elected a Fellow of the American Folklore Society in 1978.
Randolph died in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1980. His legacy endures through the collections and studies he left behind, which remain important for readers interested in American folk culture, regional history, and the everyday voices of the Ozarks.