, ▁them es ▁and ▁link ages ▁in ▁folk ▁music ▁developing ▁in ▁the ▁popul ace ▁and ▁pract ition ers ▁as ▁well , ▁often ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁ ▁Regional ism ▁and ▁cultural ▁pl ural ism ▁grew ▁as ▁influ ences ▁and ▁them es . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁folk ▁music ▁began ▁to ▁become ▁en mes hed ▁with ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁activ ism ▁them es ▁and ▁movements . ▁Two ▁related ▁develop ments ▁were ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Commun ist ▁Party ' s ▁interest ▁in ▁folk ▁music ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁reach ▁and ▁influence ▁Americans , ▁and ▁polit ically ▁active ▁prominent ▁folk ▁mus icians ▁and ▁sch ol ars ▁seeing ▁commun ism ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁better ▁system , ▁through ▁the ▁l ens ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁Wo ody ▁Gut hr ie ▁exempl ifies ▁song writ ers ▁and ▁artists ▁with ▁such ▁an ▁out look . ▁ ▁Fol k ▁music ▁festiv als ▁pro l ifer ated ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁President ▁Franklin ▁Ro ose vel t ▁was ▁a ▁fan ▁of ▁folk ▁music , ▁hosted ▁folk ▁concert s ▁at ▁the ▁White ▁House , ▁and ▁often ▁patron ized ▁folk ▁festiv als . ▁ ▁One ▁prominent ▁festival ▁was ▁Sarah ▁Ger tr ude ▁K not t ' s ▁National ▁Fol k ▁Festival , ▁established ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁spons or ship ▁of ▁the ▁Washington ▁Post , ▁the ▁festival ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Washington , ▁DC ▁at ▁Constitution ▁Hall ▁from ▁ 1 9