Nancy Sweezy (October 14, 1921 – February 6, 2010)[1] was an American artist, author, folklorist, advocate, scholar, and preservationist. Known initially for her work as a potter in the 1950s, Sweezy became a scholar of the history and creation of pottery and wrote several authoritative texts and books on U.S. and international folk pottery. She was a major figure in the establishment of markets for folk and traditional crafts. Other major accomplishments in her extensive career included the founding of the crafts organization Country Roads, the revival of North Carolina's historic Jugtown Pottery, and the creation of the Refugee Arts GroupinMassachusetts for immigrant folk artists. Her advocacy work also included developing apprenticeship programs. She also was involved with Club 47, a famous performing scene in the American folk music revival.[1]
She was married briefly to Bill House. She met her future second husband, the economistPaul Sweezy, in Germany.[1] They divorced in 1960.[4]
She died of congestive heart failure in Cambridge, Massachusetts on February 6, 2010.[1] She had three children: Samuel, Martha, and Lybess. At the time of her death, she had five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.[4]
^ abcWeigl, Andrea (February 11, 2010). "Sweezy, 88, revived Jugtown". The News & Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
^Sweezy, Nancy (October–December 1975). "Tradition in Clay: Piedmont Pottery". Historic Preservation. 27 (4). Washington, D.C.: National Trust for Historic Preservation: 20–23. ISSN0018-2419.
^Sweezy, Nancy; Magruder, Sarah; Asai, Susan (1989). Southeast Asian Folk Art Festival: Resource Materials on Southeast Asia, the Traditional Arts, and the Participating Folk Artists. Allston, Massachusetts: Refugee Arts Group. OCLC23822965.
^Sweezy, Nancy (2000). Raised in Clay: A Guide to the Potteries and Traditions of Seagrove, North Carolina. Asheboro, North Carolina: Randolph County Tourist Development. OCLC45566287.