Judy Peiser, the “driving force” of the Center for Southern Folklore was honored for her endearing effort documenting the musical and social history of the American South by the Tennessee State Legislature. The Center for Southern Folklore is located in Memphis, TN where it was founded by Peiser and William Ferris in 1972. The institution has produced an array of documentaries, CDs, books, festivals and recordings, which has strengthened the core of southern tradition and heritage. Beyond traditional music, the center has collected a spectrum of oral history, traditional recipes, biographies of influential southerners and works from traditional craftspeople. After decades of field work and in-depth study, the Center has become a beacon for many other similarly purposed institutions and continues to be a forerunner in preserving southern cultural identity.