On Sunday, November 23 at 2pm, the Newton Free Library hosts Reclaiming Folk: Celebrating People of Color in Folk Music, featuring Naomi Westwater, Louie Lou Louis, and Prateek. Reclaiming Folk is an event series that celebrates and honors People of Color in folk music – we “reclaim” folk because, despite POCs being at the root of the genre, history and culture has erased us from American Folk music. From field calls to Blues and Gospel to Indigenous traditions, the origin of American folk music is connected to people of color.

Folk music is more than a genre, folk music is traditional music, folk music is storytelling, folk music is the music of the people, and folk music is a voice for what’s happening in the world today. In our society, there is often no space for marginalized people to tell our stories. Reclaiming Folk seeks to make space for musicians of color to share their stories and share the stories of our past, so that our future can be a more inclusive place for all.

Founded in 2024, Reclaiming Folk achieved immediate success and support from the community, featuring performances by 15+ artists and traveling to over 10 locations in Massachusetts. The event includes original music from folk musicians singing in the round, cover songs that honor the musicians who came before us, short interviews with the musicians about folk music, and a Q&A from the audience.