As part of its ongoing research and documentation efforts, the Folklife & Traditional Arts Program has joined forces with the Houston Museum of African American Culture to identify and connect with African diasporic communities residing in the greater Houston area.

Langston Wilkins, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Folklore & Ethnomusicology at Indiana University will begin the task of cultivating communities and documenting the folkways of traditional performers and artists in these communities. His work will result in the creation of a common database which will assist in the design, promotion, and presentation of public programs associated with these vibrant and dynamic communities.

Langston Collin Wilkins is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Folklore & Ethnomusicology at Indiana University. A native of Houston, Texas, he received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds master’s degrees in African-American & African Diaspora Studies and Folklore & Ethnomusicology from Indiana University. He specializes in African-American music and culture and his in progress dissertation focuses on the relationship between music and place in hip hop culture. For further information about this joint venture please contact Langston Wilkins at wilkinsl@indiana.edu.