Interview with oyster tong maker Corky Richards

General Note/Comment

• One audio cassette. Interview with Corky Richards on making oyster tongs. He discusses carpentry; work as a cabinet maker; making tongs; local oystermen; and use of the tongs. For images of Richards, see S 1577, v. 45. Between 1986 and 1987, a partnership between the Florida Folklife Program and the American Folk Center created the Maritime Heritage Survey Project. Focusing on the Gulf and Atlantic fishing cultures, and utilizing photographs, slides, oral histories, and on-site interviews, the survey climaxed with a demonstration area at the 1987 Florida Folk Festival. The three main researchers were Nancy Nusz, Merri Belland, and project director David Taylor. Additional information on the project can be found in Taylor's project files in S 1716.