William R. Ferris

William R. Ferris
William R. Ferris
Born	William Reynolds Ferris Jr.; February 5, 1942; Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupations	Author; professor; documentatarian;
Spouse	Marcie Cohen
Relatives	Grey Ferris (brother)
Awards	Dartmouth Medal (1990); Charles Frankel Prize (1995); Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Chevalier (1985); Officier (1996); ; Grammy Award (2018); Blues Hall of Fame (2024);
Academic background
Education	Davidson College (BA); Northwestern University (MA); University of Pennsylvania (MA, PhD);
Thesis	Black Folklore from the Mississippi Delta (1969)
Academic work
Discipline	History; literature; folklore;
Institutions	Jackson State University; Yale University; University of Mississippi; University of North Carolina;

Dr. William Reynolds Ferris Jr. (born February 5, 1942), also known as Bill Ferris, is an American folklorist, scholar, author, filmmaker and ethnomusicologist focused on the distinct cultural qualities of the American South. He is a former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and, with Judy Peiser, he co-founded the Center for Southern Folklore in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the founding director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, and is co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Southern Culture.