Title 20, EducationRelease 119-102

§2102 Definitions

Title 20 › CHAPTER 43 — AMERICAN FOLKLIFE PRESERVATION › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 2102

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this part of the law. "American folklife" means the traditional creative culture shared by U.S. groups (family, ethnic, work, religious, regional), such as customs, beliefs, skills, language, stories, art, music, dance, ritual, and crafts, usually learned by word of mouth, imitation, or performance rather than formal schooling. "Board" means the Center’s Board of Trustees. "Center" means the American Folklife Center. "Group" includes state or public agencies and nonprofit organizations. "Librarian" means the Librarian of Congress. "State" covers the U.S. states and also Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. "Workshop" means an activity meant to build skills, appreciation, or study of folklife for amateurs, students, or nonprofessionals.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §2102

Education, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this subchapter—

(1)the term “American folklife” means the traditional expressive culture shared within the various groups in the United States: familial, ethnic, occupational, religious, regional; expressive culture includes a wide range of creative and symbolic forms such as custom, belief, technical skill, language, literature, art, architecture, music, play, dance, drama, ritual, pageantry, handicraft; these expressions are mainly learned orally, by imitation, or in performance, and are generally maintained without benefit of formal instruction or institutional direction;

(2)the term “Board” means the Board of Trustees of the Center;

(3)the term “Center” means the American Folklife Center established under this subchapter;

(4)the term “group” includes any State or public agency or institution and any nonprofit society, institution, organization, association, or establishment in the United States;

(5)the term “Librarian” means the Librarian of Congress;

(6)the term “State” includes, in addition to the several States of the Union, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands; and

(7)the term “workshop” means an activity the primary purpose of which is to encourage the development of skills, appreciation, or enjoyment of American folklife among amateur, student, or nonprofessional participants, or to promote scholarship or teaching among the participants.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 2102

Title 20, Education

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102