Ellen McHale, Ph.D., Executive Director of New York Folklore was named a “Fellow” of the American Folklore Society on November 7th during the American Folklore Society’s annual meeting for 2024 that was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Established in 1960, the Fellows of the American Folklore Society is an honorary body who are elected by the members of the American Folklore Society in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of folklore. Admission to the Fellows Group of the American Folklore Society is by nomination. Inclusion in the AFS Fellows recognizes an individual’s significant body of work and meritorious service to the field of folklore.
The lifetime appointment to the Fellows of the American Folklore Society is by election and each Fellow must receive two nominations in order to be considered. In the Award Celebration, New York Folklore was also lauded. New York Folklore was described as the largest nonprofit folklife center in the country and a model for re-imagining folklore and folklife activity in the 21st century. New York Folklore was recognized for its serving as a nexus for folklore activity throughout New York State.
The American Folklore Society (AFS) is a membership organization dedicated to the study of folklore and expressive cultural traditions in the United States of America and throughout the world. Founded in 1888, AFS serves its members and the general public by providing programming, publications, policies, and resources examining and affirming the diversity of human creativity across time, heritages, and places.