Mary McHenry

Mary McHenry
Born	January 23, 1933(1933-01-23) Washington DC
Occupation	Academic
Nationality	United States
Genres	African American literature
Influenced Suzan-Lori Parks

Mary Williamson McHenry (born 23 January 1933) is "credited with bringing African American literature to Mount Holyoke College," where she is Emeritus Professor of English.^[1] McHenry also introduced her then - student (the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks) to Five Colleges faculty member James Baldwin during the 1980s.^[2] Parks would later credit McHenry with her success.^[3]

Background

McHenry was born Mary Elizabeth Williamson Murphy in Washington DC to Alphonso Williamson (who worked with the Library of Congress) and Elizabeth Bennett Williamson (a teacher). She graduated from Oakwood School in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1950, received her B.A. in English literature from Mount Holyoke College in 1954, her M.A. from Columbia University in 1960, and continued further graduate work at George Washington University from 1961-1964.^[4]

Career

McHenry taught at Howard University (1960–1963), George Washington University (1964–1969), and Federal City College (1969–1974). McHenry then taught at Mount Holyoke from 1974 until her retirement in 1998 "and was also a member of the American Studies and the Black (later African-American) Studies departments."^[4]

The Mary McHenry Papers (1933–1996) were exhibited from October 29 - November 26, 2007 at Mount Holyoke College.^[5][6]

Notes

1. ^ Lecture to Explore Lost History of African American Literary Societies
2. ^ "Suzan-Lori Parks Interview". Academy of Achievement. June 22, 2007. http://www.achievement.com/autodoc/page/par1int-5. 
3. ^ "In the News: Traditions and communications". College Street Journal. May 24, 1996. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/comm/csj/960524/news.html. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Biographical Note
5. ^ A Woman of Color at Mount Holyoke: Mary McHenry, Class of 1954
6. ^ Mary McHenry Papers 1933-1996 (bulk 1946–1954, 1972-1993)

External links

• Biography
• Mary McHenry Papers
• Lecture to Explore Lost History of African American Literary Societies (2001)
• MHC lectures traces literary circle history (2001)

Persondata
Name	Machenry, Mary
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1933-01-23
Place of birth	Washington DC
Date of death
Place of death