---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 2102"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "2102"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/2102"
units:
  - "Chapter 43 — American Folklife Preservation"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §2102. Definitions


As used in this subchapter—

- (1) the term “American folklife” means the traditional expressive culture shared within the various [groups](#4) 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);
- (3) the term “Center” means the [American Folklife](#1) Center established under this subchapter;
- (4) the term “group” includes any [State](#6) 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](#1) among amateur, student, or nonprofessional participants, or to promote scholarship or teaching among the participants.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–201, § 3, Jan. 2, 1976, 89 Stat. 1129.)