This watershed release represents the life’s work of William Fer-ris, an audio recordist, filmmaker, folklorist, and teacher with an unwavering commitment to establish and to expand the study of the American South. William Ferris was born in Vicksburg, Missis-sippi in 1942. Ferris began at a young age documenting the art-work, music, and lives of the people on the farm and in his local community. The archive of recordings that he created and the documentary films that he had a hand in producing have served as powerful tools in institutions of higher learning for decades. It is with great excitement that we present these films and recordings.