A Pioneer’s Southern Legacy
Listen to the audio centerpiece of “Fifty Years of Ferris,” a deep dive into how his radical empathy became the roadmap for how to give Southern voices their rightful place in history.
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For more than half a century, Dr. William “Bill” Ferris has dedicated his life to documenting, preserving, and honoring the authentic voices of the American South. From his earliest days recording hymns at a rural Mississippi church to his groundbreaking films exploring Black life, arts, and storytelling, Ferris shaped the path that countless folklorists and Southern scholars walk today.
The latest episode of the Salvation South Deluxe podcast—“The Blueprint: How Bill Ferris Defined Southern Folklore”—serves as the audio capstone to our summerlong video series, “Fifty Years of Ferris.” Through powerful interviews, historic recordings, and candid reflections, this episode shines a revealing light on Ferris’s innovative spirit and radical compassion. It chronicles not just his achievements as a documentarian, educator, and leader, but also the vital influence he had as founder of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture and co-editor of the landmark Encyclopedia of Southern Culture.
At eighty-three, Ferris remains a guiding force for anyone called to capture the stories, music, and spirit of the South. Dive in and discover how one man’s quest for truth and dignity transformed the way we all listen to—and understand—our region.
Listen on Georgia Public Broadcasting Podcasts
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See all four parts of “Fifty Years of Ferris"
Part 1: Give My Poor Heart East
Part 2: Two Black Churches
Part 3: Made in Mississippi
Part 4: I Ain't Lying
Chuck Reece is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Salvation South, the weekly web magazine you're reading right now. He was the founding editor of The Bitter Southerner. He grew up in the north Georgia mountains in a little town called Ellijay.
