Henry McCarthy Papers
Henry McCarthy is an educator, radio host, actor, and local politician. He served as Assistant Dean of the College of Education at Appalachian State University, hosts the radio program "Poets and Writers" for National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate WEHC, and is a guest actor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) film school. This collection contains photographs, clippings, correspondence, memorabilia, and professional files documenting McCarthy's work at Appalachian State University, work on international academic programs, and acting work, as well as personal files.
Biographical and Historical Note
Born in Johnson City, Tennessee, Henry McCarthy later moved to Winston Salem, where he played baseball in high school and followed "the best advice [he] ever received" to study drama. With $65 borrowed from the Winston Salem Foundation, McCarthy attended Eastern Tennessee University to earn a Theatre degree. He continued his education, earning graduate degrees at the University of Kentucky (Master's) and University of Tennessee (Ph.D). For more than 30 years, he was an Assistant Dean in the College of Education at Appalachian State. He is also a world traveler, a guest actor at UNC School of the Arts, and has twice received the Order of the Long Leaf for his service to the state. He is host of the radio program Poets and Writers. Broadcast by National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate WEHC (90.7 FM) at Emory and Henry College, Poets and Writers concentrates on the philosophy of poets and writers and primarily features interviews, poems, and songs of artists from Virginia, North Carolina, and the surrounding regions. McCarthy is also a guest actor at the The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) film school. His latest book of poems is Never Read A How To Book. Additionally, McCarthy is involved in North Carolina politics. He served on the Boone Town Council, the Watauga County Parks and Recreation Commission, and was a runner-up in the 1988 Democratic primary for North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Collection Overview
This collection contains photographs, clippings, correspondence, memorabilia, and professional files compiled and donated by Henry McCarthy. The files document McCarthy's work at Appalachian State University as well as work on international academic programs. They also document McCarthy's acting work. The "Poets and Writers" radio show recordings include interviews with individuals and on subjects including Adin Thayer, Barbara Kingsolver, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Ben Montgomery, Beth Macy, Bob Denham, Brother Billy, Catherine Green, Charlie Lovett, "Children and Poetry," Dale Jett, David Madden, Delilah O'Haynes, Denham Brothers, Drew Lanham, Edison Jennings, Edwin Wilson, Emily Wilson, Eugene Wolf, Felicia Mitchell, Jackie and Andy, Jane Hicks, Janet and William Cohen, Jim Minick, Jim Stokely, Joe Mills, Jule C. Spach, Kathy Shearer, Lee Saunders, Lee Smith, Lenard Moore, Michael Blumenthal, Michael Hogan, Pat Conroy, Doug Pote, Randall Smith, Ray Roy, "Remembering Great Poets," Richard Stone, Rosemary Harris, Sandra Ann Winters, Shelly Frome, Tanner Cook, Tanya Zanish-Belcher, Trisha Chaney, Wiley Cash, Will Harlan, Cassandra King, Clay Hipp, Earl Carter, "20th Show Celebration," "Abingdon's Boarding House Murder," Anne Murray, Ava O'Malley, "Baseball," Ben Montgomery and Grandma Gatewood, Betsy White, Bonny Gable, Brenda Humphrey, Bryan Byrd, Clay Hipp, David Winship, Ellen Malphrus, Felicia Mitchell, "Henry McCarthy Muses," Isaac Freeman, Jeryl Prescott Sale, Joe Tennis, Joshua Darty, Kenton Thompson, Leah Rampy, Martha Bassett, Michael Dechane, Miho Kinnas, "Poems and Popular Songs," Randy Johnson, Robert Morgan, Terry Roberts, "20th show celebration from May 2010," Bunny Medeiros, Christine McKenna and Rees Shearer, David Winship, David Winship, Donnamarie Emmert, "Henry's Book Bag-What's Henry Readin'," Kathy Shearer, "Mark Twain (Henry Sweets, spoken word and music complication, Henry and Patti travel to Missouri)," "Robert Frost (In his own words)," Shep Quick, "Singers and Songwriters," Terry Roberts, and Valerie Nieman. The collection is arranged alphabetically.
Controlled Access Headings
Functions
Education, Higher
Administrative Information
- Publication Information
- Processed by Kate Trathen, 2026 March
- Access Restrictions
- This collection is open for research.
- Copyright Notice
- The nature of the WFU Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
- Preferred Citation
- Henry McCarthy Papers (MS938), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.