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Ralph W. Hood and W. Paul Williamson field recordings

 Collection
Identifier: MS-074

Scope and Contents

This collection includes 184 field recordings and interviews totalling more than 400 hours of documentary footage of serpent handling congregations in Southern Appalachia, featuring extensive footage of church services and interviews with church members of many of the major Holiness serpent handling congregations from 1975 to 2004. Additionally, the collection includes more than 2,500 photographic prints of congregants, church leaders, and services.

Dates

  • Creation: 1985-2004

Creator

Language of Materials

This collection contains materials in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

The copyright status of this collection has not been evaluated.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga may not provide copies of materials from the collection without the written permission of Ralph W. Hood.

Biographical / Historical

Professors Ralph W. Hood and W. Paul Williamson recorded the services of major serpent handling churches in Southern Appalachia and conducted interviews with congregation members and leaders to inform their research in the Psychology departments at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas respectively. In 2005, the pair, with co-author Peter C. Hill of Biola University, published Them That Believe: The Power and Meaning of the Christian Serpent-Handling Tradition, which relies on the recordings of church services and interviews captured by Hood and Williamson.

Extent

29.92 Linear Feet (23 containers)

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the original order created by Ralph W. Hood, creator and donor.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated by Ralph W. Hood to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on 2012 November 15.

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of the collection are available electronically at https://digital-collections.library.utc.edu/digital/collection/p16877coll2.

Processing Information

Processing of this collection is complete.

Title
Ralph W. Hood and W. Paul Williamson field recordings
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Collection Area Details

Part of the Manuscripts Collection Area

Contact:
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library
c/o Special Collections
600 Douglas Street
Chattanooga Tennessee 37403 United States