exclusive artifact for scholars. His idea that folklore is basically creative expression used to communicate and instill social values, traditions, and goals, is widely accepted by folklorists today. Botkin insisted that democracy is strengthened by the valuing of myriad cultural voices. He is considered the "Father of Public Folklore." On-going Memorial Activities In his honor, the American Folklore Society awards the Benjamin A. 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. The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress runs a series of lectures in his honor where "distinguished experts speaking about their research and current issues and best practices in folklore, folklife, ethnomusicology, and related fields". The lectures are then published by AFC and made available on their website. References External links Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Botkin, Benjamin A. Benjamin A. Botkin Collection of Applied American Folklore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Botkin's Legacy at Library of Congress 1901 births 1975 deaths American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent People from East Boston, Boston Harvard College alumni Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni University of Oklahoma faculty American folklorists People from Croton-on-Hudson, New York English High School of Boston alumni Presidents of the American Folklore Society Federal Writers' Project people