NEA National Heritage Fellows

In-depth profiles of NEA National Heritage Fellows from 1982 to the present. Materials for 1982-2007 biographies courtesy of Documentary Arts. Use of some photographs courtesy of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives & Collections.

A woman singing into a microphone.
1983

Almeda Riddle

Ballad Singer
A man holding a bag pipe.
1983

Joe Shannon

Irish Piper
A man holding a small wood figurine.
1983

Alex Stewart

Cooper/Woodworker
A woman making a basket.
1983

Ada Thomas

Chitimacha Basketmaker
Headshot of a woman.
1983

Lucinda Toomer

African-American Quilter
A man holding a wooden decoy.
1983

Lem Ward

Decoy Carver/Painter
Dewey Williams
1983

Dewey Williams

Shape Note Singer
Man holding a fiddle.
1982

Dewey Balfa

Cajun Fiddler
A man speaking into a microphone.
1982

Joe Heaney

Irish Singer
Man playing a fiddle.
1982

Tommy Jarrell

Appalachian Fiddler
Woman sings into a microphone.
1982

Bessie Jones

Georgia Sea Island Singer
A man holding a ceramic sculpture.
1982

George López

Santos Woodcarver
A man playing a guitar.
1982

Brownie McGhee

Blues Guitarist
Headshot of a man.
1982

Hugh McGraw

Shape Note Singer
A woman playing a guitar.
1982

Lydia Mendoza

Mexican American Singer